Not the Day I Had Hoped For …

I had great hopes for today. Even though it didn’t look like the day was going to go as I had hoped for, I still had this feeling it could change in an instant.

My mom arrived by bus last night. Yes … my mom. The ‘mom’ that I was so worried about only two short months ago. Coming out for a few family celebrations … just as she has done numerous times before.

Did I want to take the day off today and celebrate the fact that Mom was here? You bet! Did I ask? I sure did. Was my wish granted? No. But I thought maybe things could change if I worked real hard and put in an extra effort. It didn’t happen.

I thought that perhaps my Second Son would have the day off and have time to leisurely take Mom to her sisters. Nope. My Son had a full day ahead of him and wanted to get an early start. It wasn’t going to happen.

I called my boss at home, to ask if it was okay if I came in a little late so that I could drive Mom to her sisters. No answer and she didn’t return my message.

A half hour later, I called work to talk to her there. She wasn’t there either. I left a message. And I waited.

In the mean time, My Youngest came down with a stomach ailment this morning. One look at him and I knew that school was out of the question.

This meant that my option of leaving for work early to chauffeur Mom to the other side of the city and back to work would not work. I had to get my babysitting charge to school … so I had to wait until it was time for him to go to school before I could leave the house.

I was getting frustrated. I was still waiting for my boss to call me. For the past 13 years, I have been able to be home when my mom has come to visit. She didn’t much enjoy my house full of daycare children, so she didn’t stay any longer than necessary. But I could be here. Not today.

I wanted so badly to at least take the morning off of work so I could get Mom where she needed to be. I wanted to be home because My Youngest was sick. I wanted to have the ability to drive Mom out to my sister’s and not have to rely on my sister’s generosity and good nature to drive 1 ½ hours (again) to come and get Mom.

I wanted to be available to my family today. But I wasn’t.

My Second Son rose to the occasion and ended up driving Mom to her sister’s. I got to work on time. My Youngest slept all morning and was feeling better by supper.

I put in a full day’s work and I will be paid for my efforts. Had I been working from home, this day would have been a write off. I could have been where I wanted to be and doing what I wanted to do. But my work would have suffered. Payback would have occurred one way or the other – working through the night or simply not getting paid for work I didn’t do.

Everything turned out just fine in the end.

But it wasn’t the day I hoped for.