Thursday was one of those (rare-ish) days when you think, maybe I’m not such a complete failure as a mom and these kids are turning out OK.
And it happened on a day I was pretty down-and-out with the flu and a killer sinus infection. So pathetic was I that even slothful Fat Kitty ditched me because I was too boring just lying around.
Now, that’s pathetic.
For starters, Haddie brought me fresh-squeezed orange juice that she’d squeezed with her own two hands. Then, the first thing she did when she got home from school was prepared me a snack of cinnamon toast and fresh strawberries. But here’s the kicker: she did it before she ate.
If you have ravenous, sometimes egocentric kiddos like mine, you’ll realize just how amazing that is.
Then, Jamie forwarded me a message that Bode’s teacher left on our voicemail (Vonage sends an email transcript). She is the nicest lady and I wouldn’t be surprised if she had called a number of students (if not all) to give positive affirmations about her kids. Here’s what she raved about Bode:
Hi Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, it’s Bode’s teacher Jenny and I was just calling to let you know what a joy Bode as he is been doing such a fantastic job this week. He is an excellent listener. He is sitting just like he should in crisscross applesauce. He’s raising his hand and adding some of the most insightful comments I have ever heard from a first grade student so I just wanted to let you know that he is just a joy to have in class and that you’ve raised such a fabulous young man.
It’s so neat to have a leader in the classroom for my other students to see what it looks like to be a first grader and to be a listener and to be thinking all the time. So I just wanted to let you know what a joy he is. If you need anything please let me know and again thank you for raising such a fabulous young man and I will talk to you soon.
So, even though I’m down in the dumps I’m feeling pretty darn grateful today.
Fat Kitty rejection and all.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 