Hangovers

So I didn’t fully realize that St. Patrick’s Day was a THING with kids.

I suppose I should have guessed this.  My girls go to Catholic school, after all.  B came home talking about the mischievous leprechaun they were trying to catch at school for over a week straight!  And during a work conference call on March 16^th, some of the moms were talking about green toilet water and making a leprechaun “trap.”  I laughed and teased that they were overachievers, making it hard on all the other moms out there.  I mean, St. Patrick’s Day?  A *REAL* holiday?

But it’s not like I did NOTHING.  I picked out a cute green checked dress for B to wear with gold striped tights.  (I absolutely *love* mixing patterns on a preschooler!)  I planned for our family to go to my parents’ house that evening for a yummy corned beef dinner.  (This got cancelled at the last second due to a covid exposure, but I tried nonetheless.)    Don packed her some chocolate “gold coins” to share with her teachers and friends in her lunch box.  We thought we had it all together!

B came home on St. Patrick’s Day and had the BEST day in class.  They chased the leprechaun all over the school, but never quite got it in their trap, and she had SO much fun in the process.  She was in a fabulous mood after school, playing with her sister and being joyful, and even though we couldn’t go to Grammy and Grampy’s for dinner, we had a fun evening at home and read some extra chapters of our book at bedtime.  It seemed like a great day, and I was so thankful that her amazing teachers made it so fun for her.

And then, just as we were watching the stars on her ceiling lamp together and she was about to fall asleep, she asked if she could whisper something in my ear.  B said, “Mom, remember when Daddy picked me up from school and you were still working in your office?  I was really hoping I would find that a leprechaun was at our house, but I guess they only go to school.” 

I weakly agreed with her, then kissed her forehead and scooted out of her room before the tears came…mine, not hers.  Why HADN’T the leprechaun come to our house, after all?  I wished so hard that I had invited him in, because these kind of adventures are so fleeting for kids.  Would it have been that much extra effort?  I cried to Don downstairs, wondering if we could still conjure something a day late…but after some discussion, we agreed to just let it go.  Sometimes, opportunity comes and goes and you just can’t force it back. 

I woke up on March 18^th feeling a little…hungover.  That’s REALLY the only word for it.  It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been regretful after my St. Patrick’s Day choices…but I truly thought I had left those days behind.

I’m pretty sure I can’t be the only person who has felt this way…comment below!