Frantic Afternoon

What a frantic afternoon I had today. I signed up my boys for swimming lessons which started today. The two youngest were already to go, I packed a snack, and we got in the car to pick my oldest as he walked from the bus stop home. I had thought he should have been close to home so I thought we could find him quickly and make it to lessons early. I started to drive the route we have talked about him taking (there are about 4 options he can take depending on who he wants to walk with and/or whose house he wants to walk by). We have specifically talked about taking one route every day so if I need to pick him up or if he is late I can find him quickly. I drove that route first and did not see him. So I started to drive down the other four routes. I did not see any of the bus kids. I called a friend whose kids usually always ride the bus. She said her son just walked in the door. She asked him about my son and he said he got off the bus. I thought...okay, the snow is high, I will drive it again and see if I missed him. I even stopped back home to make sure he didn't come in the door somehow before we left without me seeing him. No little boy!

I started to call neighbor friends that he could have stopped by to play. He has never actually done this. It is our routine that he always comes home to check in first.

Funny side note: He does not like using the bathroom at a school so he is usually rushing home to use the bathroom before doing anything else. He doesn't really like to use other people's bathrooms...maybe just a little like his mom :)

No one has seen him. It has now been over 20 minutes and I just can't find him. One of my neighborhood friends who works at the school also has kids that ride the bus. I had tried calling their house and no one answered. I was pulling into the driveway and calling her at the school at the same time. She answered the phone at the school (she is the secretary) and said...I was just looking up your number to call you. The bus driver just called. He finished his route and when checking the bus after parking it found your son curled up in the back of the bus fast asleep!!! HOORAY he has been found!!!

I rushed over to the school where the bus was supposed to deliver him. I called the school again as I pulled into the parking lot and asked that they send him out to me. I was told the bus wasn't back yet...it was going to take 15 minutes for them to arrive. So we waited... I broke the news to my middle child that we had missed our lessons and he was so sad! He cried and then fell asleep!

When I finally got my cutie from the bus driver the swim lessons were almost over. I decided that I would still run over to the pool. We got there just as the next session was begining. The very nice lady who is charge let the kids join the next session today so they could still swim - what a tender mercy to my day!!!

The day ended well and everyone was very tired and went to bed early!!! Hooray!!!

It is always interesting to reflect over all of your feelings after a stressful event. At one point I had been very angry and frustrated with my little boy. His bus mate had said that he had gotten off the bus so I thought he was either off playing without permission (big No No) or someone had grabbed him. What a mix of emotions. I was a frantic/angry/frustrated/sad mommy all at once behind the wheel on snowy roads...bad idea. When I learned he had fallen asleep my heart was softened and I was sad to think of tired he was from his long day at school. Sad that I had been angry with him. Frustrated that I had been told he had gotten off the bus. Thankful for a bus driver who did his job and checked the bus before going home...what a trama that would have been!!! I feel blessed how it was all taken care of and how I was taken care of through it all. Oh the things we learn each day!