A chip off the old block...

I used to say that I liked to "leave a little part of me wherever I went." I remember at least one person at one time or another, telling me that I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached. Well, as time has passed, I'd like to say that my organizational skills have improved immensely. (Mike might not agree. Then again, he didn't know me as a child.) That's not to say that I'm going to win any kind of award in this category, but, I have come a long way.

It's funny that I have so little patience with my own children's chaotic, disordered way of living. You'd think I would be able to be show more empathy in this regard.

For instance..
Last Friday Gavin exited the bus, basically falling apart at the seams. His coat was unzipped, hat practically falling off, and his backpack flung over one arm, wide open. As I watched the bus drive away, I checked the contents of the backpack to find a lone shoe and a solitary glove. He just got a new coat and nice new gloves to match. We implore him to keep track of his stuff, to no avail.

Since this is his 3rd pair of mittens, I became a little frustrated with his inability to keep his things organized. He's even lost the mismatched mittens I've sent with him. I mentioned this to my mom, and asked, "was I this bad?" To this she responded: "Let me see. I remember the day you got your new 300 dollar retainer, and lost it later that very same day." O.K. so I'm not perfect.

Mondays are the days when I pick up the kids from school so we can get to Lilah's piano lesson on time. Needless to say, I went a few minutes early, so I could check the bus for the lost shoe and glove. As soon as the bus driver saw me, she got up and said, "You need a shoe and a glove? I try to stop him before he gets on and off the bus and help him contain all his stuff."

O.k., so at this point we found the glove and the shoe, and we're about to be on our merry way, but first, we need to stop at the lost and found to see if we can locate Lilah's snowpants, and possibly my hat that Lilah borrowed one day last week. The one that I bought specifically to go with my jacket. The one that has been missing for a few days. The same one that she promised she'd take care of, and is sure she did bring home. Neither are in the lost and found, so we decide to go to the car. As we're walking through the hall, I look down on the floor outside the office, and what do I see, the hat that I've been looking for.

The snowpants are still missing, but, maybe they'll show up too.