Mickey’s week anyway. She was spreading herself thinly between volleyball and football cheerleading. And school. Volleyball practice after school on Monday was followed by a quick shower at school and cold lunch in the car on the way to cheerleading practice at our co-op school, twenty minutes away. Cheer practice was especially important this week - Homecoming Week. The dance routine had to be perfect – the lift had to go off without a hitch. Or Mickey would tumble to the grass.
Game day was Tuesday. This one would be a home volleyball game. Mickey rode home from school with me. She did some homework, grabbed a quick sandwich, her duffle bag and I took her back to school – under directions from the coach to have all players on the floor by 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday was another normal day at school, followed by volleyball practice. The after-practice shower was repeated as the Mickey departed again for her cheer duties, this day with a roast beef sandwich, two pop tarts and a banana in hand. Spirit games for homecoming would begin at 7:00 and conclude at 9:00. Mickey made it to bed earlier tonight – by about 10:00 – and went on her own will – without any prodding from me.
Thursday’s away volleyball game was just about as far away as one could imagine – an hour drive over the hills and through the valleys to a town nestled in the middle of nowhere. With another cold lunch for the bus ride, yesterday’s roast beef was replaced by two peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Homework was completed on the bus. Thankfully for Mom, (but not for the team) the volleyball games were over in three, lending an earlier-than-normal departure for home. As the phone rang at about 9:15 p.m., Mickey was on the other end, “Mom – we stopped for something to eat – but I have no idea where we are. I’ll call you when we get closer to home.” (Mickey only knows the whereabouts of the mall…nothing else.) By ten o’clock the phone was ringing again – this time her call to be picked up at school.
After a quick shower, Mickey was in bed by 10:30.
Jolted out of bed at 5:30 a.m. by her alarm clock – set about forty-five minutes earlier than usual, Mickey had to be at school by 6:30 a.m. today to catch the football & cheerleading bus on its way to an early morning church service and breakfast – a longstanding homecoming tradition. How did she get to school? Her mother had to get up earlier as well. With only one full bath in the house, I didn’t want to be rubbing elbows with Mickey any more than I had to while we were both standing in front of the sink.
So I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste and went into the kitchen to brush.
Scrounging through the refrigerator, I decided today we would have turkey and cheese sandwiches. I made one for Mickey and one for myself.
I haven’t seen my daughter very much this week, even though I work at the same school she attends. Even though she sleeps in her bed every night. Even though we bump elbows in the bathroom every morning. When I got to the football game Friday night, I proudly watched Mickey perform her part in the dance routine, flawlessly (from my viewpoint). After the game she came over to me and a friend who were talking.
"I’m so tired," she said. "I was tired all day. I’ve got to tell you what happened during Science class today."
Here’s her story-
After lunch we had study hall in the library. I was so tired, so I got a book and pretended to read it, but really I was just sitting there with my head tilted down so I could rest my eyes. The next hour was Science class. We were supposed to be doing a lab. I sat on the edge of the chair and put my elbow on the table. I could hear the teacher talking, but eventually the sound of her voice started to fade and all I could hear was very far away – words that I couldn’t quite make out. My head nodded a couple times, and I jolted it back, trying to resist the blanket of sleep which was surrounding me, wrapping me tighter and tighter.
A few seconds later I found myself on the floor. Bryce was the only classmate who saw me slide out of the chair and onto the floor. He came to my side and said, “Are you okay?” I looked at him, kind of confused and said, “What happened?” At that point I realized that I fell asleep in class and fell out of my chair onto the floor!
By now Mickey is laughing as she is telling us this story over and over again.
Thankfully, Mickey slept in Saturday morning. And lounged in front of the television all day. Until it was time to get ready for the event which would be the culmination of the whole week – the Homecoming Dance.
We started with her hair at 5:00 p.m. and by 7:00 she was ready to go! I took her to her date’s house where both of us moms took a few pictures of the semi-cooperative couple. I had to stay awake until it was time to go pick them up at the dance at midnight. And take her date and another friend home.
Not all weeks are like this. We crawled into bed at 1:00 a.m.
Mickey’s going to lay low today – after she gets home from church, where she had to wait tables from 10:30-12:30 for the fall festival.
I’m sure next week will be better …
2 comments:
What a week, indeed! Sounds like a fun one, even though she was exhausted. She looks beautiful in her homecoming dress!
what would you do if you had several of them going at once.
My hat is off to you and Mickey
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