Don't tell him...tell me!

My dearest daughter Chelsea. I love her to pieces, but at times she can be sooooooo frustrating! She never, and I do mean NEVER tells us anything. When we do happen to find out something, and try to get more information from her, she acts like we are so clueless - which we are since we aren't told anything to be able to know anything!

Here's a classic example:

About a month ago, Chelsea says in a casual way: "Oh yea, just so you know I made it in the HOIAC choir." I said "Great! What does that mean exactly?" She said "I dunno. Probably a certificate or something." Well, even though I cant sing to save myself, I knew making it into that choir probably meant she would be singing at some point in time, so I figured I'd watch the school newsletters and hope for more info. Yesterday morning before leaving for school, Chelsea says "I need a prior" (a note when we have to send to school when they are going to be absent for any reason). So I grab my trusty notepad and a pen and I start to write: Please excuse Chelsea from school tomorrow she will be gone from... "Chelsea? When will you be gone?" She hollars back "All day"...she will be gone from school all day. Then it dawned on me. I had no idea what she was going to be gone for. "Uh, Chelsea? Why are you going to be gone? Are you getting something pierced?" She came out of the bathroom with a huge sigh "For HOIAC Choir. Mom, we've been over this already. I already said all this." I stood there while my head stopped spinning around on my shoulders and I finally got her to tell me that they were singing in a concert in Des Moines somewhere. No, she didnt' know what time. Why? Because she doesn't need to know. She'll already be there all day, so they'll tell her when she sings (her words, not mine). I asked her to please find out more information for us, because we'd like to see her perform. "Mom, I knew you'd make this a big deal." {Insert more head spinning here} I said "Chelsea, sweetie, it IS a big deal. Something you should be proud of and we are so proud of you and want to help celebrate your accomplishment." "Please tell me you are not going to do anything to embarrass me." I looked at her and said in my best redneck voice: "No way there youngin'. I'll make sure mah pigtails are straight and the same height. I'll make sure your daddy's drawers are zipped and that there ain't no stains on our shirts. Why for you darlin' I'll even wear a bra." "You are soooooo weird!" was her only comment as she snatched her note and headed out the door to school.

This morning Chelsea said "I need some money for today". Jay hands her a $20 bill and I said "Aren't you even going to ask what that is for?" He said "I know what it's for. She's at HOIAC all day and needs it to eat. She can eat with us afterwards if that's not enough." {Yep, more head spinning}. I said "So you know about tonight? You have details?" He said "Sure, Chelsea told me a couple of days ago."

The lightbulb went on immediately. Chelsea was not the one causing the lack of communication here. Chelsea HAD told about the concert. Chelsea HAD given the information. Chelsea HAD talked about the money she needed. She just told it all to JAY. I love my husband very much, but if there is any information that I may possibly want or need to know, do NOT, I repeat, do NOT tell him...tell me! This is a genetic defect he has. According to my mother-in-law, his father has the same defect and so does his brother. I am already starting to see signs of it showing up in Austin.

So now I have all the info. Chelsea did get accepted into the HOIAC choir and they are performing tonight in Polk City at 7pm. Jay and I are going to the concert, while Ashley & Austin stay home. Chelsea just had a high school concert on Tuesday, and they would consider that torture to sit through another one, so we let them off the hook. LOL

Besides....the drive will give me time alone with Jay to see what else I've not been told about.