Not Invited

Okay, well, the oldest is graduating on Saturday, and there are many events this week, none of which I was invited to. Remember, parents present the diplomas. So I finally asked what part of graduation am I invited to participate in? She replied, "Family pictures at noon, rehearsal dinner Thursday night, and you can be on stage (to present diploma with her dad)." Nowhere was it mentioned that I was invited to the afterparty, which I found out yesterday is at 7 p.m. I was origninally to pay half of a third. She is having it at a sort of community center with two of her best buds. The other two moms are planning it, decorating, etc. I have never been called to participate in the planning, etc., so I don't feel that I should have to pay my half of the third if I have nothing to do with it, much less attend.

My elderly grandmother is going to have a long day, and my parents were wondering what to do with her after the graduation. There is approximately one hour to one and a half hour wait between the graduation reception and the afterparty. So I mentioned to my mom last night, "I'm not going to the afterparty (which is really called a reception), so I can take Grandma home after the ceremony. My mom said, "Why are you not going?" I said, "Because it was made clear to me that I am not invited."

A few hours before my conversation with Mom, I talked to my dad. I said, "Hey, Dad, are there any plans for Mother's Day?" I kind of assumed there wasn't since the entire family would be at graduation festivities from around noon to 10 pm Saturday. He said, "Yeah, we were all invited to your brother's house for lunch!" Helloooo, I was not invited. I kind of sounded surprised, I guess. I mean, my kids are going to my brother's house for Mother's Day without me, their mom? So wouldn't you know it -- bless my father's heart -- got a call from my brother last night, and he invited me. Remember, he's the one who left me out of Thanksgiving dinner??? My daughters have known about the Mother's Day get together since last week. Turns out, my youngest will not see me on Mother's Day afterall because she obligated herself to work backstage for Annie and didn't realize it was Mother's Day.

On a better note, I WAS invited to the Lord's table on Sunday, and I partook, AND I DID NOT CRY!!!!

Had three kids removed from school today because -- here's the background story -- three after school kiddos ride in a van to my school from a public elementary school which has been closed because of exposure to swine flu. So my boss allowed them to join my class for TWO WEEKS. One of them is in fourth grade. I have no equipment or resources for fourth grade. So for thirty minutes this morning I am hunting down and copying math, language and science work for him so he will have something to do. Meanwhile, a long line of parents is waiting outside my boss's office, waiting to pounce on her in anger for allowing these kiddos into the school building. My boss asked me if my assistant could take the exposed kids to an empty classroom for the day to maybe satisfy the parents. "Or," she said, "would you be okay having them join your class?" After three kids were taken back home, she finally decided to send the public school kids home and quarantined them in the library. Then I took my entire class outside for over an hour while my assistant disinfected the entire classroom. Total waste and interruption of our day. Kids this age just cannot handle it when the routine is upset. Now we have parents semi-concerned because one of my students has a sibling attending that same public school, so now it is exposure once removed. When does it end?

I saw two men on my way home in a car with masks over their faces and what looked like plastic wrap around their heads. Come on, people! It's a flu!!! Like someone said (I paraphrase), so many people are wearing masks to keep from catching the swine flu, but they won't wear a condom to stop the spread of AIDS. Go figure.