That'll learn me

It seems there is a special sort of punishment reserved for mothers who get too excited about the beginning of the school year. 

1. Their child (you know, the one who had a 103 fever and had to stay home the LAST day of last school year) will get a rash.
2. Said mother who got too excited will assume it's poison ivy, slather the child with calamine lotion (the clear, of course) and send them to school anyway.
3. The school nurse will call 5 hours into the school day to say child is running a low fever and this rash is really really bad and it is most decidedly NOT poinson ivy.
4. Mother will have to bail on plans to make Pioneer Woman's Beer Braised Beef with Onions to take child to pediatrician's office. (And will later resort to calling out for pizza delivery.)
5. Pediatrician will diagnose child with "Viral Exanthem" and write a note to keep child home from school until Monday.  
6. Child will remind Pediatrician that Monday is a holiday.
7. Pediatrician will say, "Oh! Good, well that's just a bonus recovery day then."
8. All involved will agree that it's best for everyone that the child not go to her biological father's for the weekend as planned, but rather for her to stay home and rest (also known as whine and gripe at her siblings all day for being. . . well. . . younger siblings.)
9. Mother: *headdesk*

 I personally find it highly unfair that mothers aren't granted the right to be just a little bit glad that their load will lighten just a bit a few hours a day for the school year.  Mothers have a dirty, grueling job that offers little recognition.  Motherhood will happily suck the soul right out of you if you'll let it.  And just because the kids are in school doesn't mean stay at home moms are just sitting around doing nothing.  It just means we have less commotion and neediness to deal with when we're trying to clean up the toy explosions and do laundry and dishes and make curtains and can food for the winter and do whatever else we do to save the family enough money to afford to be a one income household.  Forgive us, universe, for looking forward to a little bit of give in the exhausting work that is motherhood.

Feel free to call and encourage this mother today. . . or tomorrow. . . or Sunday. . . or Monday.

I did mention that I love my kids, right?  Because I do.  But, come on!  A little break, please?