Random Spontaneous Evening

I had a pretty uneventful day yesterday.  I did the same thing I do everyday. I went to my second job.  I worked for five hours.  I ate lunch… and I worked some more.   It wasn't until I headed to my first job (taking care of my family) that all the excitement started to happen.  

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 I was about 3 miles away from home. I was focused on coming up with something to cook for dinner.  I had forgotten to take meat out of the freezer the night before. It didn't matter if it was chicken, steak or fish.  I would have figured out what to do with it later.  But now my task was going to be even harder because I had nothing thawed out at all.

My mind was racing about as fast as the wheels on my Camry.  I decided to call my mom for the last leg of my ride to take my mind off dinner.  Just as we started talking good, I got a phone call from my oldest.  Her words flew out of her mouth faster than my car or my racing thoughts about dinner.  

"Mom, I have to get to an audition by 7 O'clock," said Austin almost in another language.  It may as well have been because I was having a hard time processing what that meant for me.  I would have to get home in the next 30 seconds, make her jump through the car window like Bo and Luke on the Dukes of Hazzard as I drive past the house, and then drive just as crazy to get her there in time.  Not to mention I wouldn't have time to check on my other child and my big baby, who at last conversation, was heading out for a run.

Realistically, I knew there was no way we would make it on time.  It was already 6:35, and we live 15 minutes from the main road and another 10 minutes from the location.  But I knew I had to try, even if we were going to be terribly late.  This was important to her, and it was at least one more thing she didn't have in common with me.

 I would have never auditioned for a play, let alone participate in an Easter or Christmas program if my mom hadn't made me.  Austin definitely has me beat on the confidence scale compared to when I was 14.

It just so happened that my mom and I were talking about how similar Austin and I are when it come to so many things; for instance, our inability to socialize or to be coordinated enough to learn a dance move. But she and I both knew this was a stand-out for her granddaughter. 

When I clicked back over to my mom and told her what Austin needed, she didn't even ask me if I was going to take her or not.  She just said "I'll let you go so you can concentrate on getting her there safely and on time."  I guess I was making that trip after all.  And that made me worry about dinner even more. I wouldn't have time to eat or make sure Lon and Kingston had something to eat.  

I rushed into the house screaming for Austin to come to the car.   Much to my surprise, Lon had already defrosted a steak in the microwave and was getting ready to cook dinner.  He had decided not to go on his run when he heard Austin was trying to rush out to the audition.  Kingston was happy to hear that news.  It meant he could go back outside to play a few more minutes. I had summoned him home while I was still driving so that he, too, could hop in the moving car.

Somehow, at that very moment, everything fell into place.  I love it when that happens!  Team Burney had worked together to make another random spontaneous evening run smoothly, yet again! 

We were a few minutes late to the audition, but there were other late kids who had to wait on working parents to bring them.  Austin signed in, cheesed for a snapshot and found a seat in the tiny auditorium of the Orange Park Community Theatre.

As I entered the small room that appeared to be an old church sanctuary, I saw Austin's high school drama teacher on the stage.  She was about to audition for a part in the play, The Art of Dining.   Austin sat with a group of students from her class.  A few of them had already auditioned.

It was soon Austin's turn to go up.  The auditions were cold reads.  There was no time to practice lines.  The director handed her the pages as she walked on the stage. She read with two other girls in a restaurant scene where they argued about who ordered what from the menu.  It was cute and she was great!  I'm not just saying that because she's my daughter.  She was really good.  So good, in fact, the director called her up two more times.  She read that scene again with two other girls and another scene with one of her male classmates.  The two of them were better than the two adults who read the same scene.  The audience clapped at the end of Austin and her classmate’s read.  We wanted to hear more.

Turns out, it was just practice for Austin's class.  Even though the students weren’t going to get a part in the play, the director applauded them all for being brave enough to audition in front of complete strangers.  There was one good thing to come out of it, though.  Austin earned extra credit for her class, which made me even happier that I brought her.

We left the theatre determined to find play auditions for her over the summer.  I think she's found her passion.  And I'm glad.  I was getting worried about that whole zoology thing.

We made it home just in time for Lon’s dinner – steak, corn-on-the-cob, and…(with your nose turned up)…baked squash medallions.  The steak and corn were wonderful.  And I’m not just saying that because I was hungry.  It really was good, but it was especially delicious because he cooked and took about 50 pounds of stress off my shoulders.

We all sat down to eat and cracked up at Lon’s jokes about why the steak was so tender and juicy.  Something about putting his foot in it and toe cheese and other details that I’ll spare you.  Another great family night saved.  So very thankful to God for my family.