A Mother's Lament: Missing Drew

As a mom blogger, I consider myself really lucky.  Over the past seven years, I have had some amazing experiences. Thanks to Avon, I spent three hours getting free financial advice from Suze Orman (she taught me not to be a business pushover).  Thanks to Suave, I walked the red carpet at Glamour Reel Moments and was this close to Demi Moore and Jennifer Aniston.  And then, this year, thanks to Lifetime Moms, I got to see Jennifer Aniston and Demi Moore again at the "Five" premiere.  In fact, Kimberly Seals Allers, Melissa Chapman and I even hijacked Demi and Alicia Key's VIP row until security realized we weren't stars and kicked us out. 

But this week, I was truly pumped because I was going to meet the one movie star who I have loved since I first saw her in "ET."  For those of you wondering who my celebrity crush is, well it's simple.  I love Drew Barrymore.  My daughter's name is Rebecca Drew (in honor of my grandma Dora and Drew Barrymore of course).  I've seen every movie she's starred in or produced.  From "The Wedding Singer" to "Fifty First Dates" to "Boys on the Side," to that roller girls movie, I just can't get enough of Drew.  So imagine my surprise when I was invited to a film junket for the new film "Big Miracle" and I had found out that Drew was going to be there.  

While the old blogger in me would have jumped at the chance to fly across country, ditching my kids and husband for the chance to meet Drew for 20 minutes, I was able to have a dear friend who lives on the west coast cover for me.  So all was well with the world and I figured, that one day, I would finally meet her. It was only a matter of time.

And then, last week, I received an invite to the "Big Miracle" screening in New York City that was going to feature a Q&A with Drew Barrymore.  I was on top of the world!  I didn't have to leave the state and I was finally going to meet my favorite feature film star.  But then parenthood threw a curve ball into my plans.

After my phone rang several times during an early morning meeting, I returned to my office and picked up the phone at 11:30 am.  It was my daughter on the other line.  Except she should have been in school and she wasn't.  It turned out, she had injured herself at school and was in so much pain that the nurse sent her home with our sitter.   When I found out that she had a bone protruding from her neck, I made the only decision I could make as a mom.  I was going home to take her to the doctor.  

In the back of my mind, I envisioned that I'd take her to the pediatrician and then we'd zip back into the city to see the screening and meet Drew.  But I didn't factor in that our doctor would want her to get an xray at the local hospital. And just as I had envisioned seeing Drew in the flesh and asking some insightful or funny question, my best laid plans flew out the window.  By the time we left the hospital, it was 4:30 pm and rather than race to Manhattan, we hit the drug store so I could pick up some Advil and a heating pad for my daughter.  

By the time we returned home, I did my usual quick change into my alter ego - Pajama Mama - whipped up something to eat and then helped my daughter with her Junior Honor Society application while simultaneously feeding my son a few dictionary definitions as he completed his spelling homework.  

While I would have loved to have attended a movie screening and had the chance to meet Drew in the flesh, I have to say, that no matter what exciting opportunities come my way, nothing trumps my family.  So sorry Drew that we didn't cross paths this time around.  Here's hoping that there will be a next time...