Thank you, My Darling, Thank You.

My permanent retainer in my mouth is broken. I was eating an apple and it broke in my mouth, popped off and jabbed me in the tongue. OUCH! I promise I DO NOT know how some people get their tongues pierced!!!

Now that the piece that broke has left my mouth, the part that is still attached to my tooth is sharp and my tongue cannot/won't leave it alone. Ow, OU, and OUWUCH! I keep bumping it accidentally when I talk and when I eat. My whole tongue is sore and swollen. To make wonderful matters even better when I talk, I dribble/drool. Because I am trying to protect my tongue and cannot hold my mouth and lips in the proper ways for speech and dribble falls. I am pathetic.

I am telling you this because with my new role as VP of Hospitality for my second daughter's school... And yesterday was Parents' Day! I had to direct visiting parents to their children's classrooms and to one, just one, please, of the 350 muffins and sausage balls I baked the night before. Orange juice (owie and ouch) is what we served along with it because our percolator is not working correctly and is being fixed.

This was my first responsibility since taking on this wonderful role that I am very excited about. And I drooled. I had to hold napkin to the corner of my mouth. And I bled. I wanted to smile and converse and direct and offer to the best of my ability and I drooled. At one point my tongue actually got "caught" during a conversation. I was sooooooooo embarassed.

My wonderfully hospitable, vivacious, mannerly daughter was there to help me. She was complimented for her manners, hospitality and smile. My heart was swollen and I had tears in my eyes... from the pain... and from her stepping right in when I couldn't.

She is almost the same height as me. And at times she IS my height depending on her shoes.

"Which class are you in?"
"Oh, actually I am homeschooled by my mother, she's right here."
I would then smile and hold napkin to corner of leaking/bleeding mouth.

"Well, you are so sweet and hospitable. And what amazing (yes, she said amazing) manners you have!"

"Thank you, thank you, my mom is very strict when it comes to respect and manners."

"Well, I just bet she is."

She looked like better than a Vanna while gracefully using her hand to offering the many muffins and sausage balls and juice. I could not have been more proud.

She helped clean up and was also helpful in taking things back to the car. Thank you my darling, thank you.