Homecoming anyone?

The week Garrett turned 16, Cali climbed into the car after a marching band session and announced that Garrett just HAD to ask Lizzie to homecoming.  Mentally I was screaming, "Can't the whole dating scene wait another year!!!!!"  Turns out this Lizzie had already been asked, and then dumped when she said she'd have no time for a day date since she had a marching band competition from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.  I guess Garrett was the lucky one chosen among other worthy young contenders to take her to the dance.  Garrett quickly rigged up a way to ask her to the dance among homework, early morning seminary, school classes, doctor's visits, marching band competitions, marching band practices, marching band sectionals, and (did I say?) more marching band.  She answered with a yes a day or two later.  Then, the tutorials began.  (What follows is not word for word.)

Ladd and I:  "So, Garrett, how are you going to pay for this dance?"  "Well, there's just the ticket, and I've got that covered."  "Ummm.  No.  There's the corsage, the activity before, the ticket, the pictures, the gas money, the outfit, and the possible "snack" afterwards."  "Oh."

"So, Garrett, how are you going to get to the dance?  And, what group are you going with?"  "Well, there's this group of guys that are going.  I thought I might want to go with them."  "Okay.  Have you talked to them?"  "I guess I need to do that."

"So, Garrett, what color is the dress she will be wearing?"  "Uh.  Why do I need to know that?"  "So you can match the corsage and your tie with her ensemble."  "Oh.  I guess I'll ask her about that."

"Mom, I need to be at the park at 8:45 a.m. for the breakfast."  "Garrett, aren't you going to pick up your date first?!"  "Uh.  I don't know.  I'll ask Keith."  (Keith turned 16 the same time as Garrett and was similarly clueless.)

The group Garrett had "joined" were now 7 couples strong.  They were first conflicted on transportation.  So, they asked Garrett if they could borrow our van.  We agreed inspite of being a one car family.  Garrett, Cali, Cecilia, and Jarom scrubbed the van inside and out.  Our garage is still not back to normal. . . .  Along the way, Garrett and Keith found out that some of the group was going to do a breakfast at one of the girls' houses, so Garrett and Keith decided since they hadn't been included, they would do their own breakfast at a park.  They decided what would be needed, and divided it up between themselves.  I asked Keith's mom if Keith knew how to make breakfast burritoes.  In horror, she said, "I thought Garrett knew how."  I responded, "Are you kidding?  Garrett ruined Mac 'N Cheese!  And, he hates eating eggs."  She then asked if Garrett was supposed to be bringing any pans.  I blanched and said I assumed I was only supposed to send plates, forks, and cups along.  Then I asked if they were to be drinking anything with their breakfast burritoes.  She didn't think Keith had mentioned anything along those lines.  I said maybe I'd send along something for them to drink, and she thought she might send a pan and wouldn't it be a great idea if they had a tablecloth and maybe a vase with some flowers?  We both went away shaking our heads at this adventure our boys were about to experience.  The night before homecoming (and after I'd gone shopping), the rest of their group "remembered" everyone else, and divided up all the ingredients for waffles.  Garrett got assigned syrup.  As a parting note, one of the girls asked who was bringing the waffle mix.  No one answered, so Garrett offered ours.

The day of homecoming dawned bright and early.  I managed to make blueberry syrup and maple syrup, make some of the mix for waffles, and assemble one of our waffle machines (the cleanest one), our mix, our oil, and our oil spray along with the syrup and mix.  I also cut Garrett's hair before he got ready to go.  The general consensus was that using our van in the morning would take them too long to pick everyone up (WHEW!!!  I needed it!).  So, someone picked Garrett up before heading the 20 minutes into Eagle Mountain city center to pick up his date. 

After getting a few things done and getting ready for the day, I hauled our fold-up table and Cali over to the high school for a surprise birthday party she had for one of her friends.  I ran over and picked up Garrett's corsage, and ran a few more errands before taking Garrett's marching band competition stuff over to the high school, and picking up everything Cali didn't need for the marching band competition.  When I went home, we continued the process for getting ready for a catering get together.  We arrived at the place for the catering shindig a few hours late due to dropping off Chad and Corin's truck we've been borrowing, and some failed attempts at matching some of the kids up with their friends.  We caught the last of the catering group before they dispersed.  We talked for awhile, then headed back to our messy house.  We knew that we'd loose the use of our vehicle, so shopping before they took the van would be a must.  I left Ladd with a list for the last couple of things we needed for the week as he dropped me off at the stake center for the General Relief Society Broadcast.  It was a marvelous meeting!  My phone only rang three different times.  It's embarrasing to admit to my lack of technological capabilities.  I thought I'd even put it on mute!  Oh well.  Thanks to an observant neighbor, I caught a ride home.  When I got home, I found the ironing board out and mentally kicked myself for not ironing Garrett's shirt earlier.  Garrett was getting ready.  Cali polished Garrett's shoes.  I finally asked (after awhile of being home) when they were going to come get the van to pick everyone up with.  That's when I found out I was to take Garrett out to pick up Lizzie for the dance.  Evidently, Garrett was the one who drew the short straw.  There just wasn't enough room in the other vehicles, and the group had concluded it would take too long to pick everyone up -- especially since they were already late for the dance.  So, I hustled Garrett out the door, and we drove out to pick up Lizzie at her friend's house.  We made it there just as the other car got there, so they were able to do pictures of them all together.  When they came out, I found that Lizzie wasn't in tourquoise, but in white and black -- all that effort to get the right corsage and tie. . . .  I gave Garrett my phone so he could let us know of any changes, and dropped them off at the high school.  I collapsed shortly after that, so in the morning, I asked Ladd what time Garrett came in and he said, "A little before 1 a.m."  Since the dance got over at 11 p.m., I was a bit shocked.  I asked Ladd what had taken him so long and he said their group had decided to go to Arctic Circle or McDonald's or something.  I asked Ladd if Garrett had called to let him know.  The answer was, "No.  I was a bit worried."  I'll say!  Needless to say, we explained to Garrett that communication equates to trust and trust equates to being able to continue doing fun things!  At this point, I'm assuming there really was room in all those vehicles for Garrett and his date after all?  What a tutorial all around!!!!  I'm just not sure what I've learned. . . .