She's Super Flaky!
Are you singing along yet? Now of course you know she is me, right?
I am officially the most scatterbrained person in the world, as was reinforced for the billionth time yesterday.
I keep losing Chloe's preschool papers, over and over again. She takes them out of her backpack to put other stuff in there and then we have to hunt for them because I have to get them filled out and turned in. So after not learning my lesson after two times of playing hide and seek with the darn papers, I put them back in the backpack again and this time they went missing never to be seen again.
Yesterday I took the all too familiar walk of shame and asked for new ones. I really didn't want to be the flaky mom at the preschool this time around. Oh well. They happily gave me new papers which, because by now I have learned my lesson, I put into my church binder. I knew they would be safeguarded in there. One point for Julie.
With that safely out of my anxiety range, I was able to focus on getting ready for a Primary meeting at the Stake Center last night. Thankfully LeShel offered to drive which greatly reduced my stress levels for the day. All I had to do was get to LeShel's. Now I have been there before but usually someone else drives and I am painfully directionally challenged. Alex, no joke, has to help me get places all the time.
Just to double insure that I would get there I Mapquested directions to go along with my GPS. The second Seth got home I jumped in the car and took off. A few blocks later I realized that I did not have my phone, which has a GPS. Oh well, I have a Garmin in the van, but wait, I had left the van so Seth could shuttle kids to Taekwondo. Not to worry, I did have my trusty Mapquest instructions so I decided not to turn back for my phone.
I faithfully followed Mapquest straight into a dead end. Ahhhhh! Mapquest has done this to me before in that particular part of town so I should have known better than to trust it. Deep breath Julie, you can find it. I had LeShel's address and we are on a grid, or at least the rest of the town is. The grid more closely resembles a maze in LeShel's neck of the woods. Every time I thought I was getting close I would get dead ended, rerouted, curved onto another street. I pulled over and prayed and tried hard not to panic. I drove around a little more with no success and pay phones don't exist anymore so I couldn't call for help unless I stopped and asked a stranger for their phone. I couldn't go all the way home for my GPS because that would take 20 minutes, then 20 to get back to LeShel's and we would have been an hour or more late to an hour long meeting. Suddenly it dawned on me that half the Ward lives in that subdivision and I could look for someone I knew who could help me. Well even with half the Ward in that subdivision I don't know how to get to any of their houses, except one. Thankfully I drive to the Bishop's house every week for piano lessons, so with a please bless that someone is home, I ventured over.
Mari answered the door. Hallelujah! Just the kids were home (don't worry, they are big kids) but Mari And Ben went right to work trying to help me. Ben didn't want to give directions and have me get more lost but he said he could jump in my car and direct me there and then walk home so I wouldn't have to take him home and be late for my meeting. I didn't want to make him walk home. Mari grabbed the laptop and was looking up Google maps. I asked if I could call LeShel but didn't have her number since it was in my phone (I have it memorized now though). They didn't know how to get on the Ward Directory so they called their dad, he got me the number and before I knew it LeShel was on her way to pick me up. Phew!
We were late to the meeting which was awful because we were the first Ward to present our assignment, but thankfully the Primary President from the Spanish Branch was speaking and since they had someone translating for her, it lengthened her remarks and we were able to sneak in just in time for our turn.
As usual I had been my hare brained self and caused all kinds of chaos but by the end of the meeting all the jitters were gone and I enjoyed a pleasant ride home chatting with Heather and LeShel until....
Oh yes, you knew it couldn't end there, right?
Until I went to get out of the car and couldn't find my Primary binder. Not in the front seat, not in the back. I remembered taking it from the meeting into the gym for refreshments where I tucked it under my chair, and in so doing tucked it out of my mind. No biggie, I imagine someone will eventually find it and get it to someone in my Ward and it will at some point make the journey back from Milwaukee, but wait....
I put Chloe's preschool papers in there!
* Even though I would love to get my act together at some point, I do want to say that my comedy of errors life did remind me how grateful I am for my Ward. I had a perfect Summer with the kids, PERFECT, so I can't complain, but on a more personal level I was lonely. I was even lonely in large groups. I have had too many friends move and I am wary about making new ones, and I feel like I don't live near enough to the Ward nucleus to completely fit in. But I can so clearly see Heavenly Father working in my life as people around me reach out to me, and it blows my mind that my loneliness is deserving of His attention. Kennon (Kayleigh's mom) invited us to the park yesterday where we found lots in common. I probably scared her by running my mouth but I realized that I needed a friend at preschool just as much as Chloe did. Then the Bishop's family swung their doors wide to help me. You know how uncomfortable I am calling, dropping by, and especially asking for help, but I knew that the Bruners would be more than willing to help and that I didn't even need to be embarrassed. And LeShel, who as soon as she heard me start to explain told me to sit tight and she would be right there. Her and Heather never acted even a little bit annoyed that they had to sit and wait for me for 30 minutes and they have to put up with my flakiness every week so if anyone should be sick of me, it's them. And then this morning I had an e-mail first thing from my friend, Gabby about our annual apple picking trip. There are so many people here who are aware of me. So many people here who have my back. I am so grateful to be a part of this Ward family.
14 comments:
Okay, no joke, the exact second I hit post on this the phone rang. The caller ID indicated that it was the school so I thought, great what did I botch up now. Imagine my surprise when the library/media teacher of all people was on the other end calling to tell me how impressed she is with Alyssa. She told me she is a phenomenal student and joy to work with and that she just felt like calling to let me know that she thinks I have done a fabulous job raising her. Jaw on the floor. Hooray for not being the flaky mom today, of course the day is young....
But really, that made my day!
Julie, so good to know you are so ... Human! I laughed and laughed. Of course, I had a hunch you'd be losing the binder from the beginning. You are an awesome woman and doing so many wonderful things. Don't beat yourself up for being such an individual. Because you are a pretty great individual - every part, even the flaky ones.
What good kids those Bruners are.
I am glad that so many people were there for you.
When you feel like your loneliness isn't deserving of Heavenly Father's attention just look at your own little children and how you feel when they are sad about anything no matter how small it may seem.
You are his child and everything about you is worthy of His attention.
I love your comment above. I agree she is a great girl and that is so wonderful that that teacher took the time to call and tell you that!
Since my kids all went through the same preschool, the teachers all knew to hand me a pen and make me do it now. I mean it doesn't matter if I gotta go, fill out and sign on the dotted line before I could leave. They suffered through 5 years of my flakiness! So just know that you are no where near the only one who has had to ask for papers 2, 3, 4...times.
And so you know, I think I would get lost in your neck of the woods too. good job making it to the bishops house. I'm not sure I would have thought of that.
Way to go Alyssa. We think you're great too!
Just one of those days, huh? At least it turned out good with good ccompany and all. Your ward sounds great! Sometimes I feel like an outsider, but I'm still working on that. By the way, I just got called as the Beehive Advisor. I am excited, but I was a little sad to leave Primary behind. I feel like a "first-timer" in YW learning everything all over again. I was young and dumb when I was 12-17 so hopefully I will get more out of it this time around...As a matter of fact, I know I will!
Hooray on the phone call about Alyssa! :) And good job Mom and Dad!
Wow!! So you are human also? Wanna hear an even flakier story? Yes, it happens to all of us, but in the temple???? Yep, disrupted the baptisms, horrified my RS president, astounded the assistant to the matron, and made me look like a total idiot. But it's a story (now hilarious!) that I cannot (nay, WILL NOT) put in writing on a fairly public blog. Just picture your mother-in-law wearing NOTHING but a dress (try getting that image out of your head)....in the temple....frantically trying to find her dry underwear (I was just out of the baptismal font).....yep, that's pretty flaky! You gotta call me for all the details. But let's not try to out-flake each other. Remember we are going to be spending a week together, and I don't know if the world could handle it! So just accept that sometimes we are all flaky and embrace your uniqueness!
Haha...yes, I was totally singing along. Also, you really shouldn't feel so bad...your flakey day sounds like my every day.
If there's one thing I've learned by being in a military ward where members come in and out constantly, it's that there is a genuine love and concern for one another in these wards. People genuinely want to show love and help others in any way they can. It's another testament of the Lord's church. I'm so happy for you that you love your ward and you have good people around you, even when you have to keep meeting new people and making new relationships.
I think the difference between you and many other "flaky" moms is that you have the guts to admit it and share your story. I was laughing out loud while I read some of your story. And not because I was judging or anything. I am so aware of what I perceive as being my flaws, that it's interesting to discover that other people are the same with themselves. Just know that your efforts on behalf of the primary are greatly appreciated by us parents and teachers!!
Also, I understand feeling lonely. I still have days when I miss my family (and friends and the familiarity of every day life) so much. Everyone here is super friendly, but I still don't have that go to person or those go to people for when I really need a friend. I know it takes time, and I try to reach out as well. But hang in there. The Lord is very aware of you. Not that you know me that well yet, but I am usually around if you ever need anything!
Sarah, They do have me fill out most things on site since they have expereinced my flakiness with past children but these papers needed to be decorated and have pictures added so they had no choice but to let me take them home. Good to know I am not the only one though, but what's funny is that your silly brother never goes anywhere unprepared. When we go places I will start listing all the stuff I forgot and he has always packed them for me.
Katie, You will be so good in YW. You are so much fun and the girls need cool role models in the church at that age. They are going to love hanging out with you.
Ann, Hilarious! That is definitely something I would do and I just have to laugh thinking of you leaving the temple all exposed like that.
Stephanie, That is definitely the good part of being in a transient ward. No one has family and so we really pull together.
Holly, I feel silly saying I don't have friends here because I absolutely DO. I am grateful for all of you in this Ward and I know there are so many people there in the same boat as me but like you said it takes time to find those go to people. Relationships build slowly and people around here move quickly so you always feel like you are starting over. And anyone who hangs out with me is pretty much guarnateed to move away. Even the ones who didn't plan to move, moved and it gets harder and harder to reach out the more that happens. It is a great Ward though and I have never known more people or felt more present in any Ward than I do here.
I applaud your ingenuity in solving the problems you encounter. While I certainly wish we were closer to help with that loneliness, I know how wonderful it can be to have a ward that becomes family.
Blame your forgetfulness on the kids or the hubby!!
And I think Ward's are God's way of being there in person when He otherwise is only there in Spirit.
So jealous of apple picking!
PS--didn't have to leave the temple that way--found what I was looking for right where I had put them, but too upset at that point to even see!!
Oh, dear! I know, from past experience with you, that you have these tendencies. I can't completely make fun of you because I'm just as bad at times. I can't tell you how many times I've showed up somewhere in charge of bringing something or doing something and will have forgotten it at home (ahem, remember my story about how I forgot that I was supposed to give a talk one Sunday...talk about horrifying). I think we've all been there, and some of us more than others (i.e. you and me).
In highschool I used to take my younger sister with me everywhere so i wouldn't get lost.
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