I swear the beginning of the school year is like waking up from an active dream, you know the one when you think you are awake but you aren’t? Yeah that one. So this is my life… shot put out of summer into the psychedelic chaos of returning to normal… I can’t believe that’s the word. How is this possibly normal? I’m already exhausted and school doesn’t start till Monday. My husband has done every football conditioning practice day this summer. All I had to do was get my new practice up and running… and yet I’m already exhausted and wishing I had a favorite alcoholic beverage.
The week started with me falling out of bed. At 258 am to be exact according to my husband. To which my oldest son said “you know I don’t even know when I last fell out of bed it was so long ago”, and better yet someone asked me why in the world I would tell someone that I fell out of bed? I dunno, I guess I think it’s kinda funny? And very much a me thing to happen. Kinda like not knowing what grade my youngest was going into, or giving his teacher some random incorrect birthday when she tried to help us figure out the bus schedule. I had to ask for her to check my school references from other teachers and admins that I really usually had my head on correctly. But you know, now that I think about it… I always seem a bit out of sorts. Perhaps I’m not as suave as I would like to think.
But I digress. So oldest returns to college mid week with the plan for me and her sister to come on Saturday to pretty up her apartment. Well, fantastic plan, if you plan to freeze yourself for the week and just defrost Saturday am for the drive. Nope in less than two days of her departure we got thrown a soccer scrimmage, a crisis situation at work, missing paychecks and probably something else that I can’t recall. oh yeah a birthday party.
So this morning as we are watching the last minute scrimmage my husband asks if I really need to go for the 3+ hour trip or if it’s adding too much stress to me. I actually gave it a good pause and realized I wanted to be there. I want to help get set up and organized. I want to be that mama. So, he hops online to reserve us a hotel room so I’m not driving back in the middle of the night forced to drink Bang or something else that makes me neurotically hyper.
Six hours after our planned departure time, we hit the road. My daughter starts reading reviews for this hotel. “Ants in the room” “Doors don’t lock” “nasty” it goes on and on. And I watch her poor little face start to panic. “What of someone breaks the door and hurts us” No amount of my promise to protect is sufficient. So instead we call in super sissy and her police officer boyfriend to help us scope out the joint.
Um, hello. Have you seen the Shining? Or perhaps the Bates Motel? This nationally know hotel has the appearance of a haunted hotel complete with bizarre noises and no front desk. Our room? The window is open and we can’t close it. The phone? No dial tone. “It’s fine” my ever sunshine daughter days. “Hail to the no”’her little sister says with her eyes pleading with me not to make us stay. “No security on site. Call 911 for any emergencies. Do not open your door to strangers”. Why must this sign be posted? I’m out.
Fortunately I am able to find other accommodations. It’s no Ritz or fancy hotel in Napa, but it’s better and the doors lock and windows are shut.
We are asleep with an ironing board by the door and the iron and my pepper spray by the bed. My poor child lays on top of the blanket brought from home with her pillow and refuses to use the rooms covers. But it’s just one night and there’s no eerie hallways and lots of lights.
We’ve got this. And my girl will see fear does not win. And imperfect can be ok. I’ll always keep her safe, I’ve got her and we will do whatever needs to be done to keep our sanity.
Next time though, I’m booking ahead!
Keeping (in)Sanity 