Picture day, so far

I woke early to get Elaine dressed up for picture day and we got her to school. When I walked her into the classroom, I heard Mrs.Wallace telling another mother that they might have time to "run home and get it" before the pictures were taken in about 15 minutes. I saw a stack of fat envelopes on a table that looked like picture orders. I asked Mrs.Wallace if I was supposed to have received one of those envelopes. She said "You did!"

I told her that an order form hasn't come home in Elaine's backpack, which is the standard method giving us coupons, completed artwork and book fair notices. She said again that everyone got an order form sent home. Is it not possible that she missed a bookbag by mistake? I told her that the only way I knew it was picture day today is from the school's master calendar and that we haven't received anything else about it.

Just then, my buddy Carol came in with her daughter. I asked Carol if she had received one of the envelopes. She said that her daughter was absent the day they were distributed and Carol had to go to Mrs.Wallace and request one. I wondered if Elaine might have been absent the same day as Carol's daughter. It seemed possible with Elaine having an absence 2 weeks ago.

Mrs.Wallace said that if that were the case, the order form/envelope would be in Elaine's cubby (essentially an outbox for preschoolers). This is the first I've heard that each child has a cubby. It wasn't mentioned at 'Meet the teacher night'. And we pick up ours kids outside the school building, so when are we to check this cubby daily? So I checked Elaine's cubby for the first time and all that was in it was a coupon for rollerskating and one of Elaine's drawings. No picture order form.

Mrs. Wallace said that we could order the pictures later and "there are always retakes". Then she pointed out, "You live close right? Just run home real quick." Before bothering to ask what I'd be running home for, (the non-existent order form that I never received?? cash??), I told her that I had to get myself to class this morning. I feel like I just have to give Mrs. Wallace some slack. She's got to be overwhelmed with lots to keep track of on picture day. I don't envy having to wrangle that many kids. Not to mention she is in her 9th month of pregnancy.

I told Jim about the conversation on the way to pick up the papers for his paper route. He had to miss his paper route the last two weeks while the van was messed up. So it's nice to be back on the road again. Once the van was loaded up, he & Allan dropped me on campus and went home. I have break between classes, so here I am at the computer lab.

Whether we can order pictures later or not, I'm gonna take Elaine this afternoon and take some snap shots of her while she's still all dressed up (that is, if her garments survived recess). She was so eager to go to school today in her green dress. She sat impatiently with her backpack on, while I ate my cereal this morning, wanting to hurry up and get to class.