Two Saturdays ago my sis was here with her boys (2 and 4 years old). We transferred their carseats into my big van, packed up our swimming suits, grabbed towels, floaties, goggles, and packed the kids into the van to head to the seminary for a swim. While we were buckling all the kids into their carseats The Boy(7 yrs old) wondered off to the other side of the swimming pool to look through the rocks. He found two shells and glanced up just in time to see the back of the van disappear behind the house and down the driveway. He jumped up and sprinted after the van yelling for me. He chased the van down our driveway and down the street about 50 yards before giving up. He thought, "Oh well, she will realize I'm not there and come back." He walked back to the house and sat in the sun room (because the house was locked up). After a while he thought to go to our neighbor's house. He walked over there, almost knocked, but decided against it because he was sure I would be back soon. He was crying and standing in the driveway watching for my van to return when the previously mentioned neighbor left her house to find him.
I did not realize he was gone. The Boy is notoriously quiet. About 20 minutes into our drive Tender looked behind her and saw The Boy's empty booster seat and yelled , "MOM! Where's The Boy?!" I looked into the rearview mirror and saw where we had his booster seat stationed and felt like I'd fallen off the top of the house. "Oh MY GOSH!!! This is my worst nightmare!!" Seriously, I've dreaded and feared leaving specifically The Boy since he was born. He was quiet even then and I just knew he would be a victim of my mommy brain. I didn't know if we had locked him in the house or if he was wondering the neighborhood. When I remembered that he has a tendency to ignore me and wonder off into the yard to explore while we are loading up I conjured up the worst possible shame, of him actually seeing me leave him and trying to flag me down while I abandoned him. Robert was at the seminary waiting for us and as I picked up the phone to call him, he happened to called me. I told him he needed to call our neighbors immediately and ask them to run over to the house and see if they can find The Boy. Robert let me know that the exit I was planning on using to get home quick was closed for road work just in time for me to swerve through two lanes to my last possible exit to turn around at. At that point I most likely would've driven around in a circle, speeding, and hyperventilating if it weren't for my sister in the van rerouting our way back to the interstate to get us home ASAP. The neighbor found The Boy in the driveway and kept him company for the 15 or so minutes more they had to wait. I sped like a freak and contemplated putting on my flashers until Robert called to let me know he was safe with the neighbor. When we were nearing the house Tender realized that Wild Man was really quiet and asked him if he was okay. He said, "Yeah, I'm just freaked out cuz we left The Boy home all alone." I pictured arriving and him sobbing and hugging me. But he didn't. He looked brave and talked to me very little. I don't know if that is because he is just getting older or if he was kinda mad at me. So in conclusion, we are doing a role call from now on when we go anywhere. This may seem extreme to some but I'm very aware of my weaknesses and the condition of my brain. I joke all the time and tell people that with each pregnancy the child took more of my brain. I seriously don't have space in there for useless stuff. Lack of sleep, research and teaching the three that are homeschooling, praying and thinking about how to disciple all of them, loving and learning with my husband. It's all gone and we are dangerously close to proving to every hateful person who might say, "They can't take care of all those kids" that they might be kinda right!! Actually, they are totally right, we can't. But God.... Ephesians 2:1-10 On an unrelated topic, recently one of the pastors at our church shared a great message about discernment: http://cliftonbaptist.org/sermons-and-audio/?sermon_id=758 I highly recommend it! I will likely try to listen to it again soon. I'm sure there is more to update you on, but sharing about my heart stopping screw up has taken it out of me so that is all for now. Here are some pics:
2 Comments
Nannie
2/20/2016 05:16:37 pm
Don't feel too bad. Our neighbor has only three and they left the same one twice.
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Anita Freeman
2/20/2016 05:29:54 pm
You my dear friend are a Great Mom.I love you.
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LindseyI'm the mama and wife. Updating you on our life! Archives
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