I told Jeremy as I wrote out a check for fifty-two dollars. "He needs both Tap and Jazz shoes this year for the musical. You think, when you become a parent, that it's going to be clothes and diapers, and maybe toys. I didn't realize it would be uniforms, bass guitar lessons, and tap shoes."
"Tap shoes?" Jeremy asked as he looked up at me, alarmed and I knew it wasn't the money he was concerned about.
We exchanged a knowing look as Joshua rubbed his hands together in evil-glee, "I can't wait to get my tap shoes."
I had a momentary vision of any hopes of peace and quiet flying out the door of my home for the next few weeks. No. Who am I kidding? I will be hearing ratta tatta tap tap tap for life. It's the next best thing to carrying a drum around: the ability to wear a percussion instrument on one's feet! So, I always knew The Boy would enjoy tap dancing. He can't walk anywhere from her to there without making rhythm with his hands and feet. But for years it was "Dancing is for giiiiiirrrrrllllsss" if I tried to bring up the subject.
The musical this year is "Thoroughly Modern Millie." I had never heard of it, but apparently, there is a huge amount of dancing, and a lot of these numbers require the entire cast, or a good portion of it. Joshua, being one of the few male members of the troupe, was cast as the butler and as a 'featured dancer.' Back in September, the dance clinics started to help the kids prepare for the auditions. I knew I was in trouble when Josh came home and declared, "MOM! I HAVE to HAVE tap lessons!" Since then I've been living in dread of the day the shoes came home. I'm still not sure when the day I forever lose my sanity will occur. But rest assured, when the padded truck pulls up the curb, you'll know why.
When I picked The Boy up from play practice on Thursday night, I discovered they had been fitted for their dance shoes (oh joy) with the promise that the shoes would come in next week (hooray). Before we left, the director wanted to know what color t-shirt Joshua wanted. (Oh good, more money out of the pocket). He chose royal blue, and we made way to leave.
"Wait," said the director, "Do you want anything written on the back of the shirt? "
"Uhm, put 'featured' on the back," Josh said.
"Featured?" the director and I said at the same time.
"Yeah, cuz I'm a 'featured' dancer," he replied.
"Don't you want your character's name?" The director asked. "Most of the cast are getting their character names written on the back, if they have a part."
Joshua looked at the director as if he suddenly grew horns on his head. "Kenneth?" Joshua asked incredulous. "Kenneth the Butler?"
It was the expression on the boy's face that made us laugh. I suppose "Kenneth" wasn't very cool and I could imagine it would confuse the general public. He'd forever be wondering why people were calling him 'Kenneth" every time he wore the shirt, so I suggested "How about 'The Butler Did It.' "
"I don't get it."
"Never mind," I said.
"Just put 'featured' on the back," Josh said as we turned to walk out the door. I imagined my wallet opening up and the bills sprouting wings and flying away.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Where to begin?
It's been a rough month, broken up with moments of levity. We lost power in the "ice storm of the decade," the last of my grandparents passed away (he was a step-grandparent, but the only one I knew as a grandparent). I'm having health issues (too personal for a blog post). And The Boy was having school issues due to his "disabilities" for lack of a better word ... (will these ever go away...probably not, but at least I can say, after a flurry of emails to his teachers and a meeting with the principal, I have hope). I have to thank God that in the midst of trial there are these moments of laughter. Here the are the tid-bits:
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"Mama, do these pretzels taste weird?" Joshua asked me, holding one out to me. I noticed the words "Gluten Free" on the package.
"Nope. They taste just fine to me." I pointed to the label.
He made a face and said with sincere sympathy, "Mama. I'm so sorry for you."
(Actually, those pretzels were pretty darn close to the real thing!)
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Hannah stumbled out of her room, hair in her face, half-delirious from being JUST awake. "HOW DO YOU STOP THE BEEPING SOUND!?" she demanded angrily. "Wake up your brother and tell him to turn off his alarm clock," I replied. She marched into his room, climbed up the ladder to his loft bed and yelled in his face, "JOSH! STOP THE BEEPING SOUND!"
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Hannah, my little time-nazi was thrilled when I pulled up to her school at exactly 8:30 when the bell rang. "See," she said to me, "This is why I always want to leave the house at 8:25."
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She came downstairs in a pink and blue stripped short-sleeved dress, and pink capris underneath the skirt. "I totally understand how you feel, Hannah," I said. "I wish it were spring too. However, you're not going to school dressed in that today."
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Grandpop's death and consequentially, funeral was difficult to get through, and so I found myself trying to find distractions wherever they might lie. The Sunday after his burial was a day our business was open, and so I found ways to keep myself occupied there, rather than think about the loss. I came home to container of expensive chocolates on the kitchen table.
"I thought you might need these," Jeremy said.
He doesn't outwardly express romance and love often, but when it matters and it counts, he always knows how to make me feel better.
The next day was Valentines day. I received a phone call at 5:03 in the evening, as he was commuting home from work.
"Uhhhhh," He said, "You, uhhh, weren't, ummmm. expecting anything today were you?" he asked. "It is Valentine's day."
"No, babe," I said, "You bought me chocolates on a day I needed it, rather than a manufactured holiday. I think we're good."
"Ok. Cuz, I would have stopped and picked up something if you wanted me to."
Well, that might not have meant as much. I didn't tell him. He got major points, not only for the consolation chocolate, but attempting to make valentine's day 'more better' to borrow a phrase from my father-in-law. I guess after nearly sixteen years of marriage, eighteen of being together as a couple, twenty-two of knowing each other as friends, I suppose I might keep him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mama, do these pretzels taste weird?" Joshua asked me, holding one out to me. I noticed the words "Gluten Free" on the package.
"Nope. They taste just fine to me." I pointed to the label.
He made a face and said with sincere sympathy, "Mama. I'm so sorry for you."
(Actually, those pretzels were pretty darn close to the real thing!)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hannah stumbled out of her room, hair in her face, half-delirious from being JUST awake. "HOW DO YOU STOP THE BEEPING SOUND!?" she demanded angrily. "Wake up your brother and tell him to turn off his alarm clock," I replied. She marched into his room, climbed up the ladder to his loft bed and yelled in his face, "JOSH! STOP THE BEEPING SOUND!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hannah, my little time-nazi was thrilled when I pulled up to her school at exactly 8:30 when the bell rang. "See," she said to me, "This is why I always want to leave the house at 8:25."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
She came downstairs in a pink and blue stripped short-sleeved dress, and pink capris underneath the skirt. "I totally understand how you feel, Hannah," I said. "I wish it were spring too. However, you're not going to school dressed in that today."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grandpop's death and consequentially, funeral was difficult to get through, and so I found myself trying to find distractions wherever they might lie. The Sunday after his burial was a day our business was open, and so I found ways to keep myself occupied there, rather than think about the loss. I came home to container of expensive chocolates on the kitchen table.
"I thought you might need these," Jeremy said.
He doesn't outwardly express romance and love often, but when it matters and it counts, he always knows how to make me feel better.
The next day was Valentines day. I received a phone call at 5:03 in the evening, as he was commuting home from work.
"Uhhhhh," He said, "You, uhhh, weren't, ummmm. expecting anything today were you?" he asked. "It is Valentine's day."
"No, babe," I said, "You bought me chocolates on a day I needed it, rather than a manufactured holiday. I think we're good."
"Ok. Cuz, I would have stopped and picked up something if you wanted me to."
Well, that might not have meant as much. I didn't tell him. He got major points, not only for the consolation chocolate, but attempting to make valentine's day 'more better' to borrow a phrase from my father-in-law. I guess after nearly sixteen years of marriage, eighteen of being together as a couple, twenty-two of knowing each other as friends, I suppose I might keep him.
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