GHOST SANDWICHES

GHOST SANDWICHES

I call this week “Hell” week.

It’s the week before Halloween where the kids get overloaded on candy, parties, costumes and spooky traditions.  With four kids in four different schools this year, my plate is full when it comes to baking Halloween cupcakes, volunteering for classroom parties, cheering on the kids in the classroom costume parades and preparing treat bags for distribution. With all of this going on, plus the day-to-day normal schedule of lunches being made, milk money being available, car-pool schedules, laundry, dinner, and my youth ministry commitments it’s understandable that I get mixed up from time to time about where I should be and what I should be doing.  Still, I do it with a smile on my face (most of the time) because I realize that my sweet kids won’t be small forever and that I’m going to miss doing all this stuff one day.  

The other day, I was plodding along, doing my regular Monday routine when I realized that I had 30 minutes before Gus needed to be picked up from his “Lunch Bunch” group at pre-school.  Instead of finding something to do to fill that time up, I decided to go and surprise Gus by going to his school to eat lunch with him.  

I parked the car and went inside the pre-school.  As I quietly sneaked into the classroom I saw Gus eating happily with his buddies totally unaware that I had come in.  Mrs. Brown, his teacher, saw me slide in and smiled at me knowing I wanted to surprise Gus.  As I approached Gus from behind, he turned, saw me and was totally thrilled!  I felt like such a great mom when I got my slimy Gus kiss and hug.

As I sat down next to Gus, he started talking:

Gus:  Mom!  Tanks for making me a ghost sandwich!

Me:  Did I make you a ghost sandwich Gus?

Gus:  (laughing) Yeah, you did.  That was fun-ny!

I was confused about his comment.  I sometimes cut his sandwich in a circle shape, but I’ve never cut his sandwich in the shape of a ghost.  I don’t have a ghost cookie cutter!

I looked up at Mrs. Brown with a confused face.  She smiled and uncomfortably said, “Yes, um, well, I told Gus that you made a really great sandwich for him today.  I told him it was a ghost sandwich for Halloween.”

Me:  Oh.  (I was still confused)

Then Gus solved the mystery for me:

Gus:  Yeah.  There is NOFFING inside the sandwich, Mom!  That was fuuuuuunn-ny!
What! I thought to myself.  It can’t be true!  Was there really NO peanut butter in Gus’s sandwich???

I looked in his lunchbox and saw the two empty pieces of wheat bread.  It was true.  I packed Gus’s lunch box with a ghost sandwich…in other words, two slices of bread with nothing in-between.  (There went my feelings of being a great mom.)  I wanted to die of embarrassment but instead I just laughed at myself and said:

Me:  Oh dear Gus, I think Mommy needs a vacation!

Mrs. Brown just nodded her head.

Even so, it didn’t really matter.  Gus was happy that I came to have lunch with him.  Soon afterwards, we packed up the ghost sandwich and went home. The afternoon went by quickly and Gus and I decided to wait on the front porch for Nick and Jack to come home.  I had totally forgotten about my humiliating experience at the pre-school.

Nick came home and as he walked up the front steps he said laughing,” Mom!  You forgot to put peanut butter in my sandwich today!”

I just moaned and said, “ I’m sorry Nick.”

Jack ran inside and said with his lisp, “ Mom!  You didn’t put any-ting in my sandwith!”

Me:  Yeah, Jack.  It was a ghost sandwich.

Jack: A ghost sandwith?  Oh, you are so cool!