Bah! Humbug!

I did not have a good attitude going into today's Christmas party.  I slept restlessly, I accidentally left my potato casserole in the refrigerator at home (although I remembered the crock pot and the meatball ingredients), and I have just done this so many times and it takes so much energy.

The reality is that the party went very well.  Santa, a long time resident of our housing for the elderly and handicapped, was wonderful in spite of my misgivings.  He looked great and was right on time to take up his responsibilities.  Almost all of the students brought food and lots of it.  I always say a prayer for food safety, but I'm not sick yet, five hours later in spite of eating reheated shrimp, flautas, and macaroni and cheese--all made in kitchens far and near.  The staff really pitched in to make food, to get gifts ready for parents and children, and to clean up. 

But I found myself in the kitchen, wanting to serve and clean up, and not wanting to mingle.  I got very irritated with the children who began running wildly at the end and whose mothers were too busy making plates to take home to supervise them.  In fact I told one dear mother that it was time she went home with her kids.  How could I have been so rude?

This is when I think I need to ask my supervisor to find someone else to run Family Literacy next year and just give me an ordinary ABE-GED class that meets a few hours every week.  It's all the other aspects that overwhelm me--the bus, the child care, the food, the parties.  Family Literacy is such a worthwhile program.  I know we help parents become their children's teachers and the children to be better prepared for school.  But it is pretty all-consuming and as my sister has said, it might be better to stop when I am still doing a good job of it.  And today I didn't feel had my best efforts!

Two and one half weeks to get over my attitude and to start over in 2011.