Crappy Valentime's Day to You

Crappy Valentime's...that's a phrase that I coined (with the help of a certain professor of nonverbal communication and a buddy who took the class at the same time as me) several years ago, when I wasn't having so much luck in the romance department. I don't think I need to expound upon its meaning. If you don't readily see it, well then frankly, I'm not sure I want you to read my blog.

Anyway, many years later Crappy Valentime's has reared its ugly head. But now it applies to me as a mother rather than as a love interest.

Here's the story:

Friday morning (Friday the 13th, I might add). I arrive at school like any other day. Just as the bell is about to ring to start 1st hour, I look at my computer monitor. Taped to the side of my screen are two valentines from students of mine. These little cartoon love notes remind me that I have forgotten about my son's valentines for school. You know, the ones that I purchased about 3-4 weeks ago because I didn't want to end up forgetting about them. Oh, I had had big plans about Connor sitting down with me and addressing his cards, taping the V-Day smarties to them...we were going to have a blast! Needless to say, those plans fell by the way-side as the valentine box rested on top of the fridge, completely forgotten.

Super-Mom was all of a sudden crushed. All I could think about was my poor, sensitive, little 4 year old son who would be the only kid in Miss Lisa's pre-K without valentines to pass out to his friends. I couldn't let that happen to him!! (Especially since we somehow missed the day of the class Christmas party back in December...) So, I called my husband who only works 5 minutes away from our house. He told me that he could not run home, since class was about to start for him and he had the accompanist coming in to play that day, in addition to a shortened schedule for the day.

So I go to the main office. I ask for permission to run home and save V-Day. (I have a student teacher, who was taking my 1st hour that day anyhow, so it's not like thte students were left with nothing to do.) Thanks heavens that my boss allowed me to drive the 25 minutes back to the house, grab the cards and candy, run them over to Connor's school, sign and address the cards, leave them in his cubby and drive back to school.

Valentine's Day is saved!!

Or so I thought. Friday afternoon, Caleb and I both arrived at Connor's school to pick him up at the same time (we did not pre-plan who was on pick up duty that day, apparently). In my husband's hand I saw the large bag of smarties that I brought for Connor to pass out with his cards. Caleb told me that Connor didn't pass out the candy because they couldn't find it--In HIS CUBBY! So I turned to Connor and asked him if he passed out the cards.

His response? "No."

NO?!?!?!?

Caleb then told me that they couldn't find the cards, either. THEY WERE IN THE CUBBY!!!! WHERE I SPECIFICALLY TOLD HIS TEACHER I HAD PUT THEM!!!!! ARGGGGHHHH!

It gets so much worse, folks....

I then asked my son if it made him sad that he didn't have his cards to pass out.

His response? "No."

NO!?!?!?

It didn't even bother him that he didn't get to pass his cards out. He simply said, "I'll just pass them out the next day I'm at school."

Well, buddy, I'm so glad that I spent an hour of my work day driving all over God's creation to make sure you had Valentines to pass out. I'm also glad that I spent the rest of the day doubting my abilities as a full-time working Mom.

Crappy Valentime's Day to everyone!