I don't know how single moms do it.

I had to work today, like evehy Friday, but Willem is in Boston for a concert. He promised diligently to get babysitting lined up in case I got a call, and of course guess who was on the phone at 8:00 last night because he got too busy and forgot? Yeah.

But he got someone set up for 5:00-8:00 and he had already talked to our friend Sue about covering from 3:30-5:00. But being male and, well, you know, he forgot to remind Sue, so she stayed late at school. So when I called at 3:15 to say, "I'm stuck on a hospital call, can you get Emily off the bus?" she gasped and said, "I totally forgot! I'm still at school!" -- which is about 30 minutes away. Ugh.

Meanwhile I'm calling Jacob's preschool to tell them I'll be late - but he was fine there. And he can't read a clock yet, so he didn't know I was late.

Sue was able to get hold of her partner, who went and met Emily just after the bus dropped her off - and just in case, we'd been practicing what she should do if she ever gets off the bus and we're not at the stop. So Emily walked herself home, let herself in, got a snack, got her Larry monkey, sat on the couch and cried until Wendy got there. Which was only about 5 minutes, but still. :guilt:

Wendy brought them both back to her house, and by the time I arrived (maybe half an hour later), Emily and Sue were drinking hot cocoa and coloring pictures of Bigfoot, happy as clams. So I was able to bundle Emily in the car, go get Jacob, get everyone home, and now they're playing happily. But.... :guilt: and :stress:

So even though, strictly speaking, this was all his fault......... I know it wasn't, and I feel bad, too. And the up-side is, I married a guy with enough of a conscience that he'll feel guilty, as well, and we'll comfort each other with phrases like "never happen again." I think I'll still keep Willem around. For now.