Day 17 The Perfect Mom Project

The other morning at about 2:00 AM my dog decided she needed to go outside. I was beat, and was not thrilled at the idea of prancing around my yard with the dog. However, nature was calling and I must answer. I got up and headed to the back door with Roxanne (now you are probably singing the Sting song in your head, right?). I was putting her leash on her and preparing to head out when I remembered that I had removed my pajama bottoms earlier, because I was hot. I stood there for a good two minutes trying to decide if I could get her out for natures call and back inside without anyone seeing me. The fact that I had to think about it or even considered going out without my bottoms has made me remember last winter when I had another decision to make.

It was a cold winter morning. Another icy day in a string of icy days. We had more snow then we could remember having in a very long time. I was busy doing my normal morning Mom routine of yelling out reminders to Avery as she prepared for school. Things like "Got your home work?", "Brush your teeth." and my favorite, "YOU BETTER HURRY!". All this while I sipped on my coffee in my bathrobe and slippers. AAHHH this is the life.

Since it was cold and icy out I told Avery I would drive her up to the bus stop. This one thing wins me more brownie points. The best part is that not only do I get a special "Thanks Mom, I love you" I also get some one on one time with my daughter. I ran to my room and threw on a pair of sweatpants, grabbed my coat and threw on a little rubber slip on shoe. Off we went. I brought my coffee so I could continue my relaxing morning while I visited with my daughter at the bus stop. The bus soon came and she was on her way. I turned the car around and headed home.

As I walked in the door of the house and was popping off my shoes, I see her lunch sitting on the kitchen counter. All those reminders and I had missed one, "Don't forget your lunch!". My mind started racing, how could I get this lunch to her without having to go up to the school? I had an idea, I would jump back in the car and run to the next bus stop and ask one of her friends to give it to her. Off I went.

My husband had taken my four wheel drive car to work that day, since I had plans to take my 91 year old Aunt out to lunch. She has a hard time getting in and out of my big car. So I jumped in his little car and sped off. I was so proud of myself, smug actually. I am so clever. I headed to what I knew was the last stop on the route, planning to drop her lunch with a neighbor girl. I drove down our road towards the last stop in the sub. As I got closer I realized I would have to go up a very steep hill, not a problem.

I cruised on up to the top of the hill. The neighbor girl was not there, great, now what? I will just turn around and find another stop. I hit the gas planning to turn the corner and head to the next stop down the road. Now I was desperate! The tires on the car started spinning but the car was going no where. Darn it! OK, I think to myself, I will just back down the hill. I put the car in reverse and started backing down. I probably forgot to mention that white snow does not offer a great visual when you are backing up. I drove sideways and bumped into a snow pile. At this point I am a little nervous, I kept thinking, I have no purse, no cell phone, I am in my robe and slippers, not good. I pull forward and make another attempt at backing down the hill. This time I slid right into the ditch on the side of the road "poof" gently landing in a huge pile of snow.

And there I sat, staring out the window. Now what! I decided that the only course of action was to get out of the car and run to the house at the top of the hill for help. I was hoping their daughter would be getting ready to get on the bus and she could give Avery her lunch and I could get help too. I knock on the door, dressed like a desperate housewife (not the pretty TV kind), and the Dad opens the door. "Is Natalie here?" I ask. He responds "Ah no, she is on the bus, she gets on the bus first now." Of course she does, I am thinking. Well, I explain to him what has happened and he offers to help me and heads off to get his coat and boots (what a good idea!). In the mean time I hear the bus heading down the road. I yelled "I'll be right back!" and headed towards the end of their driveway hoping to flag down the bus and finally get rid of the stupid lunch! Waving my arms frantically the bus driver sees me and stops.

I was delighted one of my ideas had worked. I did not care that I was in my slippers and robe and coat in the middle of the road, I just wanted to get this lunch to Avery and move on! The bus driver surprisingly did not bat an eye as she took the lunch and passed it back. I told the driver to let Avery know that this was the last time I was bringing her lunch to her! And that was it, she had her lunch and they drove off leaving me standing at the end of the driveway wondering how in the heck I was going to get back home. Fortunately my neighbor gave me a ride home so that I could call a tow truck and have the car pulled from the ditch.

Avery now knows that I will never bring her lunch to her ever again, and plans ahead most days. While I looked like an idiot for my antics on the one hand, you have to admit I was a really good Mom that day, not letting anything stand in my way of getting my daughter"s lunch to her. So, I am not really sure why I had to think about whether or not I should get my pajama bottoms on. I am pretty sure that would have been the beginning of another great story.