Award-Winning Day

It’s been a good day. Spring has finally decided to come and I’ve packed away the winter gear for a second time so it best decide to stay. On such spring days with the windows open, it would seem ideal to have a sweet smelling perfectly clean home. But no, instead we’ve spent most of the day out of doors, only coming in long enough to drag the mud in with us and let the baby take a nap.

Of course there is always the car-pooling. Some days more than others; and today no more than usual. But still, the mindless driving. I had a quiet crew today and had a few moments to observe and reflect on the drivers around me. I know, it’s a horrible habit, but I can’t help myself. I started to wonder how these people manage to drive and arrive, well, alive. After all, here they are drinking their coffee, lighting and smoking their cigarettes, talking on their cell phones and still managing to steer. It’s quite amusing really. And a bit scary. I remember as a young girl driving with my Uncle while he shaved. I was in awe and quite impressed with this. While I was thinking this I suddenly remembered that I would be attending a skirt-wearing, leg-baring award ceremony for Mr. Man this evening and that my legs were in dire need of shaving. I quickly evaluated the day and decided there would be no time for said shaving, unless….......At the next stoplight I dug through the diaper bag and found some lotion, rubbed it on my legs, squirted my water bottle down them and then retrieved the razor from the glove compartment. Shaving deserves a book in itself, but I’ll keep it brief and just say that Mr. Man suggested that I keep a razor in the car since that always seems to be when the sun is shining and in such light I see the hairs (usually on my knees) that always seem to get missed in the dull shower light. Tired of my cursing, he proposed the solution. Today I was elated to have a razor so handy. And, while those around me multi-tasked, so did I. I have a bit of razor burn sure, but my legs are shaven and, if I must say so myself, award-winning!

So we pinched and primed the children and got them all dressed up for the ceremony. It was long and they were good. Little E was devastated that we were in a hotel and not going swimming, but other than a few inevitable mishaps that are sure to happen when you take four children to an event that even the undergrads are snoring through and ditching out early from, it was a very positive experience. We are so proud of our Daddy. Not only was he awarded one award, but two! I’m sure they took one look at our crew and decided they better double his dessert! He is so hard-working and so absolutely brilliant at what he does, and those awards have definitely been earned. While I hummed and hawed about getting a sitter to make the event a bit more tolerable, it was very special for the kids to see him being recognized and applauded. We received plentiful comments on the children’s behavior, and so all in all it has been an award-winning day. I’m exhausted!