Perceptions

Callie and I have been going to the library every Tuesday (except last week due to Josh's back) and today was no exception...except for the fact that we woke up at 7 and then took at nap from 7:30-10:30 (it's considered a nap when you get up and brush your teeth!) :)

Anyway, our class starts at 11:15 am. To get Callie fed, dressed and ready to go, on top of me getting dressed and ready to go was not going to happen in 15 minutes. So we were late...I decided that since we were going to be late that we mine as well make an extremely late entrance! At 12:30 PM Callie and I rolled into the library :) Our class was over, which is okay, but we still picked out some good books! To me, it's not so much about the "class" but about getting Callie into the library and picking out good books.

Callie decided to use this travel time as yet another nap! I don't blame her. The sun isn't shining, it's cold and dreary outside. She is all curled up in her car seat nice and warm with her monkey jacket on and warm blankets draped over her...I'd sleep too! I decided to use this time to travel to Gymocha (the new coffee shop in Austin) and work on my efolio for my class. I am going to graduate with my Principal's licensure in December, and my efolio is the last step - now that I have completed my internship!!!

Things were going great - I already had the big debate on my food choice. I knew I wanted hot chocolate, because Gymocha has BY FAR the BEST hot chocolate I have ever had, and I knew I wanted a panini. So here I was, standing at the counter flustered over a chocolate chip cookie and vegetable beef soup. I chose the soup. I love their cookies, but I knew that my chocolate intake has been much greater than normal lately...I swear it is a drug...I'm addicted!

There I sit, Callie in her car seat sleeping, my computer and work spread out all over the table, my food and drink covering whatever space was left open....and in walks to elderly ladies. Now I love old people...they are great! They have the greatest stories, they LOVE babies, and they are sincerely happy people :)

NOT THESE TWO WOMEN. First they started in on the coffee and that it was "too strong" for one of them. Then they started complaining that the "Vegetable Beef Soup" didn't taste like the kind they made. Um, I'm sorry, but aren't there about 1,000 different types of Vegetable Beef Soup out there? Seriously. They were the two most unhappy women I have ever seen. They were the true definition of "coffee shop gossip girls". The one lady was asking the other if she was able to "hear" with her hearing aide. She then started explaining that lately she hasn't been able to hear with hers. The other told her that she can't hear at all in her one ear. Then they started talking about their friend's granddaughter who can't hear at all and how hard that must be ...FOR THE GRANDMA - not the little girl, but the old lady.

Here I am sitting, trying to mind my own business, but just couldn't help but eaves drop on their conversation. The one grumpy lady had the nerve to complain about her own grandchildren. I know that kids can be a pain in the butt...and sometimes it feels good to complain, but I don't know one grandparent out there who has nothing good to say about their grandkids...good grief.

By this point, Callie started waking up, so I took her out of her car seat, wrapped her in a blanket and snuggled her in my lap. Getting any work done on my computer was out of the question - it just takes too long to type with one hand. So I decided to organize my work and thoughts on post it notes...which was working GREAT!

Still listening to their conversation - there it came. Here I am, minding my own business, taking care of my child and working on my work...which, I remind you is for my Principal's license - meaning I already have my bachelor's degree, a full time job AND my master's degree...

"Look at that poor girl over there. Taking care of a baby and having to work. Obviously she is a student and in school - look at all that stuff she has"...SERIOUSLY?! "Poor Girl?"

Perception. Obviously their perception is that I'm a college student, doing homework and I have a baby. That is what they see...but seriously. If she would have made the comment ONE time, I could have easily dropped it. HOWEVER...she mentioned it AGAIN - "there she is over there, trying to work with a baby"....

Here I had my mother's voice in my head telling me to be the bigger person. I had Josh telling me to avoid the conflict - they are old and clueless...

I typically listen to these two voices. Anytime there is a conflict or someone pisses me off, I tend not to say anything...especially if it's one time...

During all of this, the aroma surrounding me started becoming unbearable...Callie pooped! As I reached into her diaper bag to dig out her changing pad, diaper and wipes I hear come from the other direction (remember, they can't hear very well so they talk loud to hear each other...)

"That poor girl. Here she is trying to get her work done and she has to care for a baby...that's too bad."

OH MY GOSH...The Cori inside of me was screaming. Walking over to these women telling them what I really thought. But I kept my cool.

I stood up, walked a little in their direction (mainly to step over her car seat that was positioned on the floor next to me), and looked right in the one old ladies eyes and said, "I am very proud to be her mom. And by the way - I am a FULL TIME TEACHER working on work for my PRINCIPAL'S LICENSE...It's okay for me to have a baby". Most people probably would have avoided it, but some people just need to be put in their place, I don't care how old they are...

"How old is your daughter?" Is the only thing she says to me - dang, I probably wasn't LOUD enough for them to hear me. "My daughter is 2 months old" I respond to her. "2 months...oh wow!"

I thought that would have been it...I thought, You know Cori, they are old, you've said your thoughts...no biggie...

Nope! I decided to take a break from working...to talk to Callie, play with her and read some of her books to her! Those damn women had the nerve to continue to say, "Poor thing, now she can't get her work done because she has to "play" with her baby". Are you kidding me?

Now what I wanted to do was take their coffee that was "too strong" and their soup that didn't taste like "theirs" and pour it over their heads and down their lap.

FINALLY they decided that it was time to go...but before they could leave, they had to add one more comment, "Next time, lets find a "better" place to have coffee." Really, in Austin? Pretty sure Gymochas is the BEST place in town...I think they got the hint that I was annoyed of their behavior as I was pretty much sending them the evil glare as they walked out of the store.

They don't deserve Gymocha in their lives...Gymocha is far too good for them. As far as me...I have never been more happy and proud to be Callie's mom! Through work and homework...being her mom is the most important part of my life!

Crabby old women!