We've had a lot going on lately here at the family homestead. I've used this medium to talk about religious/spiritual things. I've used it to think through the sermons. Not a bad way for a pastor to use a blog. But I've never used it to put out some personal stuff. I've never cared for venues where a person can go and kvetch about their boss or how bad their joints hurt, etc.
Complaining to complain I don't do. No interest in it. However I do want to share about God in the midst of life-stuff.
We were planning to go off to visit family during the Thanksgiving break. Unfortunately about a week before Thanksgiving, my wife woke up with a kink in her neck. For most people, the pain is gone in about 24 hours. But for her it got worst over the next few days. By the third day she was on her back, unable to move her head, and there was pain and numbness going down her left arm.
An MRI, a nerve reaction study, and lots of pain-killers later, we found out she has progression in her spinal arthritis, as well as progression in the vertebrae degeneration. Great! They still can't determine the cause of the nerve pain down her arm.
Then to top it off, while at pre-school on Monday afternoon, my little boy decided to go home. So he did. He just walked out the main doors, and with no coat or rain gear, he just walked four and a half blocks to our house. My wife is lying on the couch with a heating pad under her shoulders when she hears a banging on the door, and hears my son say... "I home now Mama." He's just over three years old.
Another scary thing is my wife told me he wasn't afraid or upset or crying... or anything! He just wanted to go home, so he did. When he got in the house, he told his Mama, he wanted to see some TV show. If it weren't so scary, it would be hilarious.
And just a few weeks ago, I was walking with an old Army buddy around Lake Elkhorn. We stopped at the playground off Cradle Rock, the place where the the little kid had drowned a few years ago. And there I saw a little boy no older than my son all alone! He was busy playing on the monkey bars, and there was absolutely no one around! I asked this little guy where his parents were. He spoke Spanish, and luckily so do I, and was able to find out his mother worked at the McDonald's across the street. Since my boy was with me, my friend went to try and find his mother. About 5 minutes later this guy comes in from the parking lot and the little boy goes running to him. He's obviously a family member. He turned out to be his uncle. The mother confirmed it later. I don't often publicly chastised people, but I had to tell this guy... you NEVER, NEVER leave a child unattended like that! It's just too dangerous!
A few days before that I'd talked with a friend who does computer work for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. And hearing her stories, I didn't want to leave either of my children unattended ANYWHERE, EVER!
Needless to say, we went through a whole range of emotions over then next few days. For the first hours I was in Mission Mode... I had to find out what happened, why my son was allowed to leave the pre-school unnoticed for 5-7 minutes. I talked with all the adult leaders in that school. Then I spent a few hours processing what had happened, running through all kinds of scenarios that never played themselves out. Thank God! My son has a few angels looking after him I think.
Unfortunately my wife had to leave for her work that evening. I got my kids fed and ready for bed, and made sure they were sleeping well, then went and vegged out in front of the TV. I had to just put my brain in park for a while. Once my wife got home, around 11:00PM, we spent around an hour just talking and processing what had happened. My poor wife was still shaking a little.
Then the next day I go to my second job (or third, depending on how you count them) and get back home around 5:15 or so. And by 8:00PM I was pretty much spent. I couldn't hang on any more. I went to bed around 2 hours earlier than normal. I was so out of it!
And the rest of this week has been filled with official stuff as a result of his escape. There were some official interviews from Child Protective Services, and discussions with the pre-school director to see what they've done to make sure this never happens again, to any child!
On an emotional level, we're not sure whether we want to send him back there again. On a rational level, considering the measures they've put in place, this is probably the safest place for him... now.
I saw a neighbor today that had heard what had happened, and said there'd be more where that came from. He has three boys! He said... "You've got yourself an Infantryman." Having been in infantry units before (or as they're called in the trade... Ground-Pounder), and having had a blast, and I wouldn't have minded spending some time in the Special Forces... but I wouldn't want my son to do it!
Golly, what a week! We've been doing a lot of praying, and thanking God! But I'm back....
Talk to you soon!
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