Wax Museum 2017

So, the kids have been working on their American Hero projects for like three weeks. Research paper, oral presentations, and then yesterday was our big day! We had the Wax Museum during the day and the Night at the Museum for the parents in the evening. We/I have sent home notes, reminders, emails, remind.com texts...I mean, how could you possibly miss this memo? And yet...

First Lady, Abigail Adams, waltzed into school yesterday morning mentioning in her nonchalant way that she did't have a costume because "I forgot to tell my mom to make one for me." First of all, we don't give orders like that. In fact, we impress upon everyone that they shouldn't need to spend money--just look around the house, ask Grandma if she has anything cool in her attic, etc. So I suggested, while picking up the phone, that we call the First Lady's mother. The First Lady said, "I think she's at the airport or something." Sounded fishy, right? So I emailed both parents and then I called her mother. The mom mentioned she was in SLC (so maybe she is at the airport?) and asked what time the museum started. 10:30 a.m. She asked to speak to her daughter. Her daughter casually said, "Hi, Mom." Then she said, "I'm Abigail Adams, the wife of the second president." Another pause. "I'm known for writing a lot of letters to my husband." And then she hung up the phone.

Well, we got set up for the Wax Museum and threw a few art prints of famous American's on the walls, arranged the desks, and all that. Our first visitors arrived at 10:30 a.m. and at that precise moment, Abigail Adams swished into the room with this amazing, presidential looking, period dress! She looked stunning! I couldn't believe this child suddenly had a costume! I went over and asked, "WHERE did you get this dress?!?" Her reply, "No idea!"

I looked toward the doorway, and there was the First Lady's mother, sort of leaning against the door frame, collecting her wits. She had done it. She pulled off the impossible. I approached her and repeated the question, "WHERE did you get that dress?" She took a breath and said, "Zurcher's. Seventy dollars. She'll be paying for half of it out of her savings account. And she'll be wearing it for Halloween." I said, "And you were in SLC? Were you really at the airport?" She said, "No. I was taking my citizenship test this morning."

And these are the moments of child rearing. These are the little traps that parents find themselves in. These are the times when you have to decide if you're going to let the cookie crumble or if you're going to save the day. This woman has three other children. I am amazed. I hope her daughter has a daughter just like herself so that one day she'll realize just a bit of what she put her own mother through. Citizenship test. No big deal.