When I picked the kids up from school today Skyler said, “Spencer, do you have something you want to tell mom?”

She totally gets that from me. Whenever I am trying to get the kids to confess to something before I call them out I said, “Do you have something you need to share with me?” About half the time they fess up. A quarter of the time they fess up to something I didn’t even know about. And the rest of the time they just ignore me.

I sat silently waiting for the big confession. I didn’t want to steal Skyler’s thunder. She was so proud of herself for snitching on her brother. And I didn’t want to scare Spencer off from telling me the horrible, terrible thing he had done.

Spencer went with the denial route. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

Skyler wasn’t deterred. “Don’t you want to tell mom about your behavior on the bus?”

Now I was starting to envision one of those nasty grams from the bus barn. The ones that include a handwritten note about how bad your kid was on the bus. And it always includes a nice pamphlet explaining punishments based on first, second and third offense. The bus police are pretty strict.

But Spencer still wasn’t giving up the deets.

Thankfully, Skyler felt the need to continue on. Never one to try to be in cahoots with her brother. They may be twins. But they are also mortal enemies. At least sometimes.

Skyler taunted, “I think you should tell mom about your cursing on the bus.”

Spencer was appalled, “What are you talking about? I never cursed on the bus.”

Skyler smirked, “Um, yes. You said the ‘f’ word. Several times. On the shuttle bus.”

They went back and forth for several minutes. Skyler calling Spencer out. Spencer flat out denying it.

It was clear Spencer was caught. One of the best traits I ever passed on to him was the inability to lie. Or at least the inability to lie well enough that anybody actually believes you.

Later he and I were on the way to soccer practice when I brought up the cursing conversation.

“So what’s this about you cursing on the bus,” I asked.

“I don’t know what Skyler’s talking about. I never curse on the bus,” he lied.

And at just that moment we hit a bump and the soccer ball that was sitting on his lap leaped up and smacked him right in the mouth.

“My soccer ball just hit me in the mouth,” he said.

“That’s what I call karma buddy.”

Last summer Skyler gave up dance and gymnastics to join a local cheer team. With dance and gymnastics she never traveled anywhere. She just had practice once a week for each. And at the end of the school year she had a big dance recital. But with cheer she is on a traveling team.

Up until this weekend we haven’t traveled very far. She’s performed in a couple of parades and at a competition at the local mall. And everything’s been pretty calm. No crazy moms trying to break other cheerleaders legs. No girl fights over spirit sticks. I’m new to this whole cheer world. And I was starting to think that all those things I see in the movies and the news about cheerleading are all old wives tales.

But then this weekend we had our first major competition. Jamfest in Peoria, IL. And all that changed.

No there wasn’t any fighting. Or cursing. Or unsportsmanlike conduct. Thank goodness. But cheer competitions can still be intense and a tiny bit crazy without all that violence.

This is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Jamfest was doing a big push to raise money for the cause. The second we walked in the door to the Peoria Civic Center we were met by a group of women (and even a few men) in bright pink wigs and hot pink socks.

I had no idea there were so many men that were willing to file away their man cards for a cheer competition. I’m not saying this is a bad thing. In fact I think it’s totally awesome.

Don’t get me wrong. There were many, many men who were chilling in their seats, listening to the college football games on their radios or checking the stats on their mobiles. But there were also a ton of guys showing their team spirit. What an amazing group of dads!

The best costume ever was Captain Cheer Time. He was this guy in a red jumpsuit looking thing (which may have actually just been sweats and a t-shirt…I was pretty far away from him). His shirt said, “Captain Cheer Time” across the front and he was sporting a red wig and cape. A cape, people. It was classic.

There was another dad showing his support of his girl with his shaved head covered in red and blue stars painted on his scalp. So he was not only a good Cheer Dad, but also very patriotic.

And the Green Bay Elite Cheer team combined dad’s love of football with their love for their daughters with cheer jerseys. They looked like football jerseys with the Green Bay Elite logo on the front. And on the back they said things like “Kev, Gabby & CC’s Dad” or “Courtney’s Dad.” I love it! One dad took it even a little farther with a cheesehead hat that was painted purple and had gold fringe hanging down (their team colors). He even co-or-di-nated (said in your best John Witherspoon impersonation) his outfit with a fly pair of purple camo pants. It totally rocked!

Lee missed the mall competition and Jamfest because for some reason all cheer competitions are on the same weekend as soccer tournaments. [People really should check my calendar before they schedule these events.] But I’m already getting some costume ideas for the next competition that he can make. Those after Halloween specials are calling our name.

When I found out I was carrying twins I was so excited. I had dreamed of having twins ever since I was a little girl. Bubby (my great-grandmother…Grandma O’s mom) was a twin. She and her twin sister were Ruby (Bubby) and Ruth. So I knew it [sort of] ran in our family.

When I was really, really nauseous with my pregnancy and my doctor said she wanted to do an ultrasound “to rule out twins” I knew immediately that there were two of you in there. I went right to the bookstore after that visit and bought a book about twins. I was that sure.

And when the ultrasound tech said, “Well here’s why you are so nauseous. You’re having twins.” I was not at all surprised. I’m pretty sure Dad’s jaw dropped to the ground, but me? I was not at all shocked.

As a little girl I envisioned having twin girls and I was going to name them Hannah and Hailey. But more than a decade later, when I found out I really was carrying twins, I was sick of those names. So I began to brainstorm and scour through baby name books. At our second ultrasound we found out Spencer was a boy, but you, Skyler, were being shy and we couldn’t tell what gender you were. So I began to focus on boy/girl and boy/boy combinations. If you were both boys I was thinking Nathanial and Nicholas (Nate & Nick for short). And if you were a boy and a girl I was originally thinking of Ian and Isabelle. But Dad didn’t really like Ian. So then I switched to Spencer and Sierra. However, Dad got this crazy idea that he should get to name one of you. And after some serious thought I decided to let him. As long as I liked the name too.

In the end Dad chose Skyler…with an “er” to match with Spencer. And I liked it.

And that’s how you became Skyler & Spencer.

When you entered the world on Monday, October 4th, 1999 (Skyler at 7:15pm and Spencer at 7:34pm) the nurses told us you were the biggest twins they had ever seen. Skyler was 7 pounds 5 ounces and 21 inches long. Spencer was 7 pounds 14 1/2 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long. [Sorry, big guy, but she was even taller than you at birth.] The nurses and doctors ooohhhed and aaawwwed over you the whole time were in the hospital. Complete strangers would walk in to our room to see “these really big twins.”

I should have realized right then you would always make a good impression. And do everything big.

This last year has been a pretty remarkable year. You graduated from elementary school. And started intermediate school. It sounds like school is going well. I love it when you get off the bus and tell me about your day; showing me the 100% you got on your music test or how giddy you get while telling me about Student Ambassadors.

And Skyler, this year you traded in your dance shoes and gymnastic leotards for a cheer uniform. Watching you perform in the parades or at the Westdale competition has been so much fun. I can’t wait to watch you and your team at JamFest later this month.

Plus you started playing the trumpet this year. You picked it up very quickly; figuring out how to make sounds before you ever had a lesson. I love listening to you practice and hearing how much you’ve improved. Keep up the good work. I’m so proud of you.

Spencer, in the last year you not only continued with soccer club, but you also tried out football, basketball, and baseball. You are turning in to an all around athlete. A total stud. It’s amazing watching you put forth all that effort and making those plays. This year’s soccer team is phenomenal; winning many more games then you’ve lost. You guys are really coming together as a team and playing well. And your football team is undefeated. You make an amazing Tight End. I get so excited about the weekend so we can watch you strut your stuff on the soccer field and football field each weekend. I’m so proud of you.

I truly could not have asked for a better pair of kids. You make me laugh every day. I love to see those big smiles. And hearing those goofy giggles. You are so smart and really work hard to do your best. Not to mention how beautiful/handsome you each are. I’m thrilled to have had the honor of spending the last 11 years with you and can’t wait to see what else you have in store for me in the coming years. [Although PLEASE be nice to me during the teen years. PLEASE?]

I love you both ALWAYS & FOREVER!

Love,
Mom

On my first day of kindergarten I was sitting on the bus on my way home from school. I was young and scared and apparently even then had a bad memory, because I couldn’t remember if I was supposed to ride the bus home or to daycare. One of my friends convinced me I was supposed to go home. So I did.

But when I got home nobody was there. I tried the door knob. It was locked. I knocked on the door. Nobody answered. I didn’t know what to do. I was five. I had no experience to deal with a situation like this. So I did what any five-year-old would do. I sat on the step and cried.

After a while my neighbor spotted me and came out to save me. She called my mom and then the neighbor either took me to daycare or my mom came and got me. I don’t remember which. It was a long time ago.

My point is…issues with the bus seem to run in the family.

Today was the first day of school. Last year Skyler and Spencer graduated from elementary school and are now attending the intermediate school. This means they go to school an hour earlier. Get home an hour earlier. And ride a new bus. They go to the same bus stop, but it’s a different bus number for this early bus.

After school the intermediate school kids ride a shuttle bus from their school over to the middle school. At the middle school they disembark the shuttle bus and get on their regular buses to ride home.

I met the bus at the bus stop at 3:15. Skyler leaped off the bus and ran over to our truck. We sat there and waited for Spencer to jump off the bus. But the bus driver shut the bus door and drove off. I scanned the kids that were still lingering around to see if Spencer was chatting with a friend. I didn’t see him.

“Was Spencer on the bus?” I asked Skyler.

“Yeah….I think so. I saw him on the shuttle bus.”

Hmm….where could he be.

I tried to call his cell phone. No answer.

Skyler said, “Oh no. My twin brother is lost.”

I tried to remain calm as I said, “It’s ok. We’ll find him.” But there was a bit of a quiver in my voice as inside I was screaming “WHERE THE FUCK IS MY KID?”

I wasn’t really sure what to do. I figured he probably got on the wrong bus, but how would I figure out what bus he was on. I couldn’t really drive around the whole district stopping buses to see if my son had accidentally gotten on their bus.

I tried Spencer’s cell phone again. No answer.

I decided to head for home to call the transportation office. On the way I called Lee to let him know we were one child down. Lee was no help.

By the time I got home I was shaking. WHAT IF SOMEBODY TOOK HIM? WHAT IF HE GOT ON THE WRONG BUS AND GOT OFF IN SOME STRANGE NEIGHBORHOOD NEVER TO BE HEARD FROM AGAIN? I was trying to remain calm. But I think we all know calm is not my strong point.

I called the transportation office and began to ramble about how my son didn’t get off the bus, but we’re pretty sure he rode the shuttle bus and he’s probably on the wrong bus, but who know what bus that is or how I’ll find him and…

The woman who answered the phone interrupted my crazy with “What bus was he supposed to be on?”

“He was supposed to get off at [location where he should have exited the bus],” I responded, out of breath.

“What’s his name?” she asked.

And then I could hear her radioing the bus driver. Followed with “Oh ok. You have him? Ok. Yeah. Yep, Ok.”

I was trying to patiently wait for her to return to the phone. But, again, I think we all know patience is not a virtue I practice well.

She finally came back, told me they found him, they are taking him back to the school so he can ride the later bus home.

Whew!

So at 4:15 I was back at the bus stop to meet Keaton, Caleb AND Spencer.

Keaton climbed off the bus and headed for the truck.

Caleb skipped off the bus and ran towards the truck.

And then we waited. No Spencer.

I was about to burst in to tears. Or have a heart attack. Or both.

I looked at Keaton with my crazy eyes and screamed, “Was Spencer on the bus?”

Keaton said, “Yeah.”

I sent Keaton over to the bus to go find him before the bus pulled away.

Turns out the bus driver was talking to some kid on the bus who was blocking the last few kids who were trying to get off the bus. So after a few minutes Spencer FINALLY walked off the bus and came over to the truck. He had tears in his eyes. I had tears in my eyes. We were a mess. But at least everybody was accounted for.