Today I went on a field trip with the 3rd grade to an old time school house. I thought that Jeffrey looked just adorable in his overalls, and that I looked rather ridiculous in the costume that I borrowed from Sian, a mother 
who's son went here last week. I like watching the children pretend that they have traveled back in time, and for me it's like going live into "Little House on the Prairie" which I was a big fan of the books and 1970's TV show as a kid. (Did you know they show repeats of it during the day on cable now?)
who's son went here last week. I like watching the children pretend that they have traveled back in time, and for me it's like going live into "Little House on the Prairie" which I was a big fan of the books and 1970's TV show as a kid. (Did you know they show repeats of it during the day on cable now?) There were a lot of other mothers who dressed up, but my friend Matt, a former coworker from GM and also a parent of one of Jeffrey's classmates, did not. So I stuck an extra hat I brought along for just this purpose on his head. He showed me pictures on his digital camera that he took last in Germany and Paris while on a business trip for his new assignment in Advance Purchasing. At on
e point as I was wandering around the schoolhouse (there wasn't a whole lot for the parent chaperons to do while the children were doing their lessons) I saw Matt off to the side, hunched over talking into his cell phone. That's when I realized the difference between us. I always used a lot of my vacation days to attend as many field trips as I could, but because they weren't always scheduled very far in advance, there always seemed to be some critical thing to stay on top of, and I would have had my pager tucked into my lunch bucket just in case. This time I was just there, and I was able to enjoy the day without simultaneously stressing about what I wasn't getting done at the office. And I'm pretty sure I like that better, even if the most recent pictures on my digital camera were of our backyard.
e point as I was wandering around the schoolhouse (there wasn't a whole lot for the parent chaperons to do while the children were doing their lessons) I saw Matt off to the side, hunched over talking into his cell phone. That's when I realized the difference between us. I always used a lot of my vacation days to attend as many field trips as I could, but because they weren't always scheduled very far in advance, there always seemed to be some critical thing to stay on top of, and I would have had my pager tucked into my lunch bucket just in case. This time I was just there, and I was able to enjoy the day without simultaneously stressing about what I wasn't getting done at the office. And I'm pretty sure I like that better, even if the most recent pictures on my digital camera were of our backyard.
2 comments:
Mindy - Can I just say that I love love LOVE reading your blog!! For several reasons:
A. Because I know you and think you are an amazingly down to earth and true person (yes, I'm judging you)
B. Because you have a wonderful writing style that I could easily see being published one day (can I get an autographed copy of your book and will you be a visiting author at our bookclub?)
C. Because so many of your musings touch so close to home since I am still, and probably always will be, a mother who also works outside the home in the professional world (I totally identified with your sick kid post and this post about being torn between work and home life when taking a vacation day to attend school functions, etc.)
D. Great pictures!!
Keep bloggin' on with your bad self!
Heather
Heather, thank you for the comment and support!It is so totally you to provide your thoughts in list form! And funny that I should be a visiting author at the book club since I'm there anyways. No book plans yet but I'll keep blogging as long as somebody's reading!
Mindy
Post a Comment