Sort of Like Mastercard

Last night I helped with our junior high's band concert.  Beginning band, Concert band, Jazz band, Percussion ensemble, Symphonic band.  Yep, we had it all.  Including  a visit from the paramedics and fire fighters.

As the Beginning Band finished up their section and the concert band was prepping to go on, a little grandma was exiting the building and lost her balance somewhere on the exterior stairs to the parking lot and fell, hitting her head.  There was blood, to be sure.  And a handful of very scared grand kids.  One granddaughter was due to go on stage with the concert band.

As I was in charge of back stage crowd-control, I saw the emergency lights flashing and realized what had happened.  I bolted out to see what could be done to help--and what had been done to help--and then tried to help divert the students to where they needed to be and to help the EMTs do their work without extra "help" from the families and students who were coming and going.

The granddaughter was softly crying, worrying for her grandma.  I told her what I knew--which was minimal--and that the EMTs were taking good care of her grandma and how lucky her grandma was to have a granddaughter who not only loves her so much, but that plays in the band and I asked if her grandma just loved to hear her play...as a diversionary tactic, of course.

That little question seemed to do the trick.  Though this sweet girl was at the edge of tears the rest of hte evening, I promised her I would go check with the assistant principal about what the emergency personnel thought of the prognosis for her grandma and let her know the minute she was off stage.  Then I gave her a tiny pep-talk about go out there and play like grandma would like to hear.  She did, and I did what I told her I would do.

Grandma was conscious and alert when they put her in the ambulance.  And the AP said they seemed to indicate that she would be OK, though quite sore, once they bandaged her head and made sure she wasn't dealing with broken bones.

This morning, I had a message on facebook from a past PTA president with whom I have worked.  The grandma was her mother in law, and the granddaughter was her daughter.  She just thanked me for comforting her daughter after grandma's fall.

It is just a good feeling knowing that you do the right thing--comforting a distracted and worried young woman.  But then there is a sense of relief and deeper sense of gratitude for doing the right thing when you discover you there is more connection that you imagined.  And that person is grateful you did the right thing too.

Integrity...it is priceless.

PTA Can Do That To You?

A very dear and funny friend gave me this little picture this past week. She added the identifying notations pointing out the two of us, plus added a couple other PTA friends we work with regularly. 

I know the text is too tiny to read, but it says:
"The Sun City Poms (a group of nine senior-citizen cheerleaders and dancers based in Arizona) begin all their performances by telling the audience that their goal is to inspire.  Without question, the Poms succeed.,  The troupe defied the notion that elderly folks are sedentary.  In fact, after seeing them perform, I was motivated to be more active and try new things."

After seeing this photo--with one of the ladies supposedly representing me, I am inspired too.  Inspired  to be fit enough to wear a sequin covered leotard when I am in my seventies.  Heck, I'm inspired and all, but I'd be happy to be in that good a shape NOW to wear a sequin covered leotard...or any leotard at all, in fact.

The 12th

12) I am grateful for the many, many friends I have gained from working in PTA over the years. I have met and worked with some wonderful, down to earth and accomplished women. They are selfless, hard working, charitable, thoughtful, talented, involved, concerned, helpful, knowledgeable, wise and wicked smart.

I don't think I will ever catch all their names here today, but here's my effort anyway:

Thank you Wendy, Sherry, Kellie, Tammy, Peggy, LeeAnn, Taffy, Jacquie, Sandy, Connie, Carolyn, Cheri, Jennifer, Amy, Lisa, Doni, Sarah, Cory, Jenny, Cami, Haley, Debbie, Nissa, Karen, Kim, Amy, Amber, Lisa, Natalie, Jamie, Melanie, Jennifer, Mary anne, Bethany, Celeste, Carol, Amy, Terri, to name a representative few.

Thanks for doing what you do, naturally, and without demanding attention or credit for your work. Thanks for watching out for my kids and the hundreds of others that you care for at our schools. Thank you for working as a team and showing what good works really are. Thanks for being there when other parents don't have that option.

Thank you for caring enough to get involved. Thank you for your friendship.

Friday the 13th Fun!

The Alternate Girls Night Out Friends last November for Twilight weekend movie!

I have a regular set of girlfriends I go out with for an occasional Girls' Night, but last Friday I got to go with my Alternate Girls' Night Out Friends. These friends are mostly PTA friends, but not all. Some are neighbors or ward members of my PTA friends.

We all met up to see Confessions of a Shopaholic. The movie was cute, but not quite my reality. I had a hard time looking past the supposedly desirable outfits which were generally not so cute to me. When the character was looking at prices I was having some shortness of breath. Who pays those prices? But I digress...

The movie wasn't really the big draw for me. I enjoy the company, all of them. It is such a fun thing to do something in a social setting with friends that I usually only see in our "working" environment. It is fun to see ladies I admire and look up to letting their hair down and just being girls again. We checked our "mom cards" at home and just went as friends.

The other bonus fun was seeing some of our Young Women after the movie who were out together too (celebrating Single Awareness Weekend)! Miss Katie and Miss Nikki both looked fantastic--some dumb boys who didn't ask them out were missing a good thing! The girls were so cute to chat with me and give me a big hug before they took their party on the road.

Not being a late night party girl, I volunteered to be the early bird bus home, so I took three other ladies home after the movie, while the other ladies went to share a dessert someplace.

Even though this wasn't my ward, or my stake for that matter, my friendships were not restricted by geographical boundaries or by neighborhood exclusivity. I am grateful for friends all over town. These are not just friends in name only, they are the real deal. I know that I can call them for a fun evening out but I could just as easily call, or pop in on them if I needed something too.

Those are the best kind of friends--relationships without guilt or obligation. I'm very lucky that I have so many wonderful friends. I recognize how good I have it. Don't you wish all friendships worked that way? Don't you wish all relationships worked that way?