Wednesday, October 12, 2011

How to Give a Mom a Heart Attack 101

While I was out running some errands this morning, I got an automated phone call from Anna's school. It simply said that she was absent today and would I kindly send in a written excuse explaining the reason for her absence when she comes back. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that I put Anna on the bus myself this morning. And if she wasn't at school, where was she??

I ran to the car and drove down to the school, trying not to panic. I calmly walked into the office and told them why I was there...that my daughter was marked absent, but I had put her on the bus this morning. First, they wouldn't say a word until they had seen my ID card and made sure that I was on the "authorized" list of people that were allowed information about Anna. The list that I personally filled out. Then they called down to her classroom and talked to her teacher (but they wouldn't let me talk to her) and she confirmed that Anna was in class...her bus had just arrived late and they has already recorded attendance for the day. I only felt marginally better. I kind of got short with the secretaries and told them I WASN'T LEAVING UNTIL I ACTUALLY SAW HER. So they called Anna's teacher back and told her to send Anna down to the office. About 20 seconds later, Anna comes bounding around the corner and into the office. I couldn't get her in my arms quickly enough. I quickly told her what had happened and why I was worried.

She looked up at me with her brown eyes and said, "Hey mom, can I have some gum?"

I'd have given her about anything right then. Thank goodness she only wanted gum.

6 comments:

Jeni said...

Oh my that would totally give me a heart attack! Thank goodness you can chuckle a little now.

I was talking on the phone to my friend Susy yesterday who is at Wright Patterson AFB, she got an automated call yesterday to go to the middle school something happened she needed to pick up her child. When she got there there were police and firetrucks...she didn't know what the heck had happened. Some darn kid said there was a bomb.

This is strange, two of the scariest things happening to girls I know.

I am about to start my block two.

Ange said...

Holy Moly, Amber! That's terrible. I would have been running down that hallway with security running after me. These office people need to be a bit more sensitive to how THEIR mistake causes real world stress.

Lacey said...

That's so scary! Glad it turned out to be okay.

Kathleen said...

wow--i would've LOST it had that happened and those secretaries would've gotten an earfull! i can't believe they just marked everyone absent like that and put out calls without double checking! thank goodness it all turned out okay! ugh!

Anonymous said...

Give Anna a super-big squeeze from me... and maybe a cell phone?? I'm surprised that you waited the 20 minutes for her to get to you... I think I wouldn't burst into flames, tears, and a witch (not necessarily in that order!).

Loralee and the gang... said...

That is so scary! It makes me thankful that we live in a tiny town, and have been here for 18 years - and the front office ladies have been, too. So they KNOW us! I am glad that you had the happiest outcome!