Thursday, January 12, 2012

She Works Hard for the Money

I figured out the other day that 5 weekends of my spring will be spent in the service of GOTT and TTG and/or the choir.

Good thing I love GOTT...and I love the kids.

Between one-act play competition, choir trips, and our 8th grade musical I am pretty much at the service of the school.

For free...

Yup...I get paid nothing for it.

I take that back...I do get paid...

And the pay is pretty good.

I get paid in love.

GOTT loves me and appreciates all I do...so does TTG. And I have a blast working with them. They really are easy to work with and it is my creative outlet...especially the costuming part of it where I get to figure out how to make a girl look like a bird...or Cinderella.

And I get paid in love from the kids.

This year on my birthday I received the sweetest email from a former student. It totally made my day. And I was delighted to hear from her. I get those kinds of messages a lot...and I never tire of them and I am genuinely happy to hear from them.

Yesterday I ran into 4 former students when I went to watch my son wrestle at a nearby school that also has a high school. Sadly I got my time mixed up and missed his match (he won)...maybe not so sadly after all because it really makes me crazy to watch him. But in any case I saw 4 kids that I love on my trip into the gym.

2 of them were boys...they were sitting outside with 2 other boys I did not know. I said hello to the boys and walked on. Then I heard one the boys I didn't know say "wow...you know that mom? She's hot!"

Ummmmm...

mmmkkkk...

don't quite know how to feel about that.

Sweet?

Maybe...strange to hear it from a Freshman boy.

Of course the moment of conflict and feeling strange quickly ended seconds later when one of the boys I know says:

"yeah...she used to be really fat! But now she is pretty"

ummmmmm....

mmmmkkkkk....

hmmmmm....

It was the truth...and funny enough I totally expected that out of that particular child.

Just when you think you are hot you are brought back down to "lukewarm".

And no, I don't want to be thought of as "hot" by any high school boys.

Remember, I like men...who drive big ass trucks....

Those boys can't even drive.

And even if they could....ewwwwww....I am not Mary Kay Letourneau!

But it WAS a funny moment.

Thankfully I ran smack into a very sweet girl who I miss very much and then I saw my darling Sweet Sam so I was happy I went to the school even if I missed seeing my son wrestle...which again, was not a bad thing...

This weekend I get to run the show for our Region Choir auditions. Now mind you, I am not running the auditions...just our kids. My job is to make sure each of the little darlings is ready to go when his/her number is called.

GOTT likes me to do it because I am on top of my game for it...and I also fight like the devil if something goes wrong. You don't mess with the choir mom. Monkeys fly when one of our kids is wronged in some way or something goes wrong.

A truly joyous moment for me last year was when I received a call from a mom of a boy who had made the Region Choir. I spent the entire night before at the wrestling meet telling that child not to yell...and I kept him calm before his audition and told him I believed in him. She told me that right after GOTT called to tell him he made the choir he said "You have to call Mama D and tell her! She will be so proud of me!"...he was too embarrassed to make the call himself so she called...and I cried...and insisted that he get on the phone so I could tell him how proud I was of him. I love that child...a lot...

I also spend a lot of time taking care of coaches.

For free.

Lots and lots of time....being team mom and being equipment manager. Lucky for me the coaches are always very sweet and appreciative.

But they haven't taken the hint that I like lilies yet...I think I might have to leave a note. It will say:

"Hello Precious Coach! Yes you, you very nice man who coaches my son...I have spent the entire season sending out many many emails, I have kept up with the equipment, I have planned and organized and served team dinners, I have organized volunteers, I have created a webpage for the team, I have shot thousands of photos of the boys playing. I like lilies...you can get them at HEB...that is all I need...a few lilies...thank you!"

I'm kidding...

but maybe I'm not...

although last year some very smart mom got me a Lululemon gift card for the thank you gift and I literally cried.

Again, I don't need the lilies or Lululemon but it sure is nice. And it is payment enough.

I love what I do...I do it because I love it...not for pay.

But I keep reminding the head of school that she has until my son leaves the school for me to love GOTT for free.

She in turn keeps reminding me that I will love GOTT forever...

She's right...he's my brother from another mother...so yeah, I will love him for free always.

And the kids...loving the kids is the easiest part of all...

Because when a kid has the courage to hit the stage and sing or act...or when he gets up and auditions for the Region Choir despite a puberty fueled cracking voice...or when a shy girl tries out for the lead role...

Well...what is not to love about that?

And I'll do it for free forever...

just don't tell the head of school because I plan to apply for a REAL job there...but I will keep loving GOTT and the kids for free...

Inspiration Song: "She Works Hard for the Money" by Donna Summer...oh yeah...

Bye Darlings...sometimes a hug is better than any amount of money you can receive...it may not pay the bills but it sure pays the heart...

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