The Shields Family: Career Course Graduation

So we all know that special events tend to happen within our families from time to time. Does it always go smoothly for you too? John’s Career Course graduation was today and let’s just put it out there from the start that it was one bump after the other. And everything seems to be twice as bad when you’re sick!

First, I woke up early to get myself ready before the kids. Always a good idea. Those plans were interrupted while I was about to apply my make-up and get my hair done when I hear yelling upstairs at 7am that Jocelyn is in my room --- waking up Andrew! Lovely. Put my “getting ready plans” on hold, got the kids dressed and fed, loaded up the truck with the diaper bag, purse, double stroller (not such an easy task), and for kicks I thought I’d put my bowl of oatmeal in the front seat in the event I got there early to scarf it down. It’s good to think positive, right? I then proceeded to throw myself together in .2 seconds, send Aubrey off to the school bus and then get on my way to the graduation. One small detail: it was 8:30 and it STARTED at 9. I was still hopeful. It could happen with zero traffic to get 30 miles in 30 minutes.

UNTIL….

John called!

He locked himself out of the car with his graduation uniform INSIDE! He was hoping I had my set of keys with me. So I’m more or less 10 miles away from the house, took the nearest exit, and checked my purse to find NO CAR KEYS! Considering all that has happened in this already early day, this does NOT surprise me.

I bite my tongue and offer to turn around and go back to get them. He apologized profusely and I again held my tongue…knowing full well it was a mistake but an inconvenient one at that! So I get back to our exit more or less 10 miles away when the phone rings AGAIN!

It’s John!

He jimmied his way into the car with a wire coat hanger a friend had on hand and retrieved the car keys and was hustling his way to graduation as we spoke. I just basically lost 20 miles/minutes “helping” and returned in the right direction. I said something under my breath to the effect that he owed. me. BIG!!!!

As I approached the freeway sign to get to the Marine Corps Museum/Quantico, it was now 9:20am. The graduation was being held from 9-10am. Obviously late, but knew I could at least see SOME of it. So much for being hopeful. After the 10 minutes it took me to set the double stroller out, throw all the stuff into the storage basket below and load up the kids – and we cannot forget the horrendous wind I was pushing the kids through – we got inside 10 minutes later: 9:30am.

But back to the wind for a minute. The wind was blowing so hard that it was making it difficult for Jocelyn and Andrew to breathe so I turned the heavy double stroller around and proceeded to pull it as I walked toward the building. I felt like a true pioneer, pulling the cart along as if it were a heavy burden. I envied those that walked in with ease. How nice that would have been! At least someone was kind enough to hold the door.

As we entered the museum, music was playing in the lobby along with some marching. (John has a better term for this but I have forgotten. I’m sure it’s part of the graduation ceremony.) People were at a standstill. I thought it would be a good indication for me to stop and stand still with them. So I did. And then it occurred to me after people went back to moving, that the graduation was now OVER! How could this be??? 30 minutes earlier than planned? Guess it happens but what a HUGE let down! Something was telling me that I shouldn’t have left the house today. Being sick was a good enough reason as it was! But I wouldn’t miss his graduation for only being sick.

Oh. But things didn’t fortunately stop there. I’d be too lucky if they did.

There was a field of GREEN in every direction. This is where every Marine looks the same. No names on uniforms, about the same haircuts, same uniform & covers….so I pick up my phone and dial his number. Not sure why as he can’t have his phone on him in his uniform but I didn’t know what else to do other than grab a mic and yell for him to meet his party at customer service. Tempting but I remained tactful.

Some luck returned to me as one of John’s friends that we’re mutually friends with ran into me while trying to call John on the phone and said he was up at the front of the room to the right. So I pushed the double wide stroller up to meet the man we came for – who was currently huddled in a circle of fellow Marines. Apparently he too was late for his own graduation. He ended up walking in 15 minutes late and was unable to walk across when his name was called. It’s a good thing he received his certificate beforehand! But he sure became the end-of-the-class laughing stock quickly. How often does it happen that you don’t make it to your own graduation due to locking yourself out of the car with your uniform inside? I then made a humble note to myself that it wasn’t so bad not being the ONLY one late! And we still got pictures.

I met John’s boss for the first time and we all agreed we were starving. The Museum’s pub wasn’t open yet but John opted to stay the 20 or so minutes until they did. John’s boss was sort of bummed he came this way and wasn’t able to grab the all-the-rave burrito while driving this far. So I made the executive decision that we were going to Q-town (Quantico) and visiting this popular joint that has the so-called AWESOME breakfast burritos instead of tapping our hands at the pub. I had eaten at the pub before. It was time to try something new.

We got there and ordered our burritos and then waited half a century to get them. (I think being under new management has something to do with it! They seemed nice though.) Andrew needed to eat about the time the burritos were being served. Perfect timing – only he won’t eat eggs and sausage yet. So I scramble to warm up his bottle and John offers to feed him. He must be used to me feeding him throughout the day because he wouldn’t budge for daddy feeding him in the slightest. Hard not to get frustrated and break down crying at this moment – then again, maybe I did. I was getting fed up with all this chaos while being sick and acting like I felt well just to go to his graduation. So I fed Andrew while everyone else enjoyed their yummy breakfast. Andrew came in 4th to the others finishing their food and instead of making them wait around even longer, I took mine to go. One tiny detail: I’m driving!

I had had enough. After jumping at the chance to drive home ALONE, in PEACE AND QUIET, that is when I pulled out an emergency granola bar from my purse (usually the kids supply) and devoured it. It was 11 am for petes sake.

I’m truthfully scared to know when the next graduation will be. I may have to enlist some troops of my own to help me get there with no glitches. Okay. Okay. It’s nice to dream. But the truth of being a Mom and a Wife is that it’s a hard job – yet very rewarding!!!

Though today had many pitfalls, I’m really proud of my husband for doing so well in his class and graduating. And I’m so glad I can be there to support him and root him on to do his best! "Love you honey!"

And for good measure, I’ll make sure that car key is always with me!

{National Museum of the Marine Corps}

{The kids after we arrived to the museum - looking for their Daddy}

{Family picture - minus Aubrey: she was in school}

{Close up: Andrew was crying with huge tears rolling down his cheek. He was just a little scared of all the new faces}

{Daddy & son}

{John and the kids}

{From left to right: John's boss, John, Josh, John's old boss}

{This was one of many pictures handing on the Museum walls. A lot of them were real life Vietnam pictures. I thought I'd capture a less devastating photo.}