Friday, June 8, 2012

the chauffeur

really? it's been a year since i last posted? no, i didn't fall off the planet. i've been in my car. literally in my car. i should have written down the mileage on the van at the beginning of the school year and then compared it to the mileage at the end of the school year. i'm sure i would have been astounded.

one of my favorite bands is duran duran. not the new, commercial duran duran. the old duran duran. the hot simon, andy, john, roger and nick duran duran. the "girls on film" and "new religion" duran duran. and one of my favorite songs by early duran duran is called "the chauffeur." if you've seen the video, and i highly recommend the video provided you are old enough for that kind of thing, you know that the life of the mom chauffeur in the minivan is nothing like the woman in the fancy british limo being delivered to her rendezvous. that's a fantasy life. one that people like me don't live.

but i wouldn't change my life for anything. in the next two days i have dance recital (pictures to follow) and dropping my girls off at camp. maggie will be gone for 2 weeks and sarah for, at minimum, 4. i'll miss maggie, sure. it's the longest i will go without seeing her. but the idea that sarah will be gone all summer is a little daunting. i'll see her for about 48 hours every 2 weeks. just enough time to do her laundry, but it's not the same. maybe i should look at it as practice for college. after all, she's leaving in 2 years.

since monday, i've been to the studio for 3 extra rehearsals, the dancewear store 3 times, target 3 times and i know i'll have at least one more trip. i've labeled all of maggie's clothes, figured out a way to pack her stuff so it will be easy to find, and taken the girls to the doctor for their physicals. i've left sarah's packing up to her. she's an old pro at camp, and by the time you're in your second year of the counselor in training program and applying to be a counselor for the second half of the summer, you should have it down to a science.

things left to do: at least one trip to target. transplant mint from our back yard for teacher gifts--this requires a trip to home depot to get cute pots. that's ok because we have to get ground covers. fill out camp medicine forms and pack those up. double check that all 3 kids' costumes are together, make sure ballet shoes are actually pink and not stained black.... i'm sure they're something i'm missing. i imagine it'll come to me while i'm in the car--or more likely right after i park in front of the house.

and i'm trying really hard to make sure sawyer doesn't feel shafted in the process. he's such a trooper. i can't wait to spend time driving him around while the girls are gone. we have so much fun planned that he doesn't even know about yet. baseball game, room mini-makeover and lots of pool time.

i remember my mom joking/complaining about how she felt like a chauffeur. my plan is to drive my minivan into the ground and love every minute of it. it's the last minivan i'll ever have to buy because sarah is driving and once she's off to university i'll only have two to drive around. and it will be my privilege to do it. why? because i'm the chauffeur. i am mom!

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