Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Pass the Time, Please!

Maybe I hadn't spent enough time at medical appointments last week, because I broke a tooth yesterday and had to head for the dentist.  After informing me that my copay would be in the realm of $600, the dental assistant apologetically told me that today's appointment would take two hours or so.  "Hey," I exclaimed.  "If I hadn't had to skip lunch to get here on time, that would be great news.  Do you know that the next two hours will probably be the only time I have to myself all week?!"   I clutched my copy of  "Bohemian Chic," and settled into the recliner, content to be reading about decorating with "vintage and salvage."  The dental assistant peered at me for a couple minutes, struggling to compose an appropriate response, and finally walked away.

Les and I always swore that we would never become one of those families that is constantly rushing from one extracurricular activity to another.  And, for the most part, we have kept that promise.  We usually have at least two weekday afternoons that are spent quietly at home.   Knowing that Lacey had so much about her new life to absorb, we held off on extra activities for her until next year.  But, the end of the school year brings a mad rush of activities that scorns family time.

Let's take a glimpse at my calendar and allow you to live vicariously through a Northern Virginia family!  

June 4, 10:00  a.m. - Stand in line for 2 hours to buy dance recital tickets
June 5, 1:00 p.m. - Dance recital photos
June 6, 3:30 p.m. - School book fair
June 7, 5:15 p.m. - Violin Lesson
June 8, 4:30 p.m. - Ballet Lesson
June 9, 7:00 p.m. - Taekwondo Graduation
June 10 - Kindergarten picnic (send chips)
June 11, 10:00 a.m. - Violin rehearsal
June 14, 4th grade picnic (send chips)
June 15, Kindergarten birthday party (send juice bags); 4:30 p.m. - ballet class; 7:00 p.m. - Violin recital
June 17, Last day of school, 12:00 dismissal (argue with Les over who gets to leave work early)
June 20, Begin week of summer camp and getting girls up at 6:00 a.m.
June 22, 4:30 p.m. - Parent's day at ballet
June 23, 4-6 p.m. - Ballet Dress Rehearsal
June 24, All Day - Lacey's Birthday!, Betsy's Last day of work!!
June 25, 1:00 p.m. - Dance Recital

All events come crashing into a grand finale.  I appreciate the sense of accomplishment that all these activities afford the children.  But, I always wish some of this joy could be spread over the rest of the school year.  Two months of unscheduled, spontaneous activities with the girls will be my just reward.  And people actually wonder why I don't sign the girls up for swim team.

By the way, I'm still anxiously awaiting the surge of energy that's supposed to result from the iron infusion.  I guess that initial burst I felt was just a little charity from all the steroids I had to ingest.

No comments:

Post a Comment