Mom of the Year??

    One of the scariest things that could happen to a parent happened to me today...Only I didn't realize it...My daughter had run away from me and I didn't even notice.  Oops.
    See, my family was at the park all day for a church function.  And this particular park lives right by the fast-flowing Arkansas River...  In the afternoon, friends of ours stopped by and Josiah wanted to follow some of them (adult supervision included) down towards the river.  I agreed to this.  What I did not agree to was Amber following too.  Her small size combined with her natural inclination for accidents does not equal a safe trip to the river.
   After some time had lapsed, on of our friends questioned Amber's whereabouts.  Since she doesn't travel far, I assumed she was still around.  "Mother's instinct" kicked on in my friend and she made it her mission to help find her.  I was totally calm, believing that my little girl was hiding behind a tree or playing out of sight.
   Did she fall into the river? No....Was she playing out of sight? No...She was walking....towards us...with a stranger... Apparently she had approached their picnic table and just stood there.  Didn't say a word.  She didn't even say anything when the nice lady brought her back to my friend and I.  She didn't day anything.  But I could tell she was angry.  Why? I wasn't sure.  I didn't send her away.  I didn't "leave her" anywhere.  I had no idea that she had even wandered off.
   Later, I realized what she had done.  She wasn't lost.  She didn't "wander". She willfully and maliciously ran away.  She was angry that I wouldn't let her follow the older kids down to the river, so she decided to "run away", even though she didn't stray more than 100 yards.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure she recieved the reaction from me that runaways hope for.  Since I hadn't been too concerned that she was lost, I wasn't overly relieved that she had been found.  I didn't give her a big hug and gush all over her and express how much I missed her...Instead, my friend gently chided her for running away, and I took her by the hand and led her back to our location.
   Well, maybe some day I'll be nominated for "Mom of the Year"....but today was not it...

Comments

  1. Not sure why but this made me laugh. NOT that your daughter ran away, but your reaction. I'm not a mom yet, but it totally sounds like somehting I would have done. Like, "Oh hey, there you are." :)

    Just came across your site from the Married to the Ministry Blogroll. Not a part of it but was checking out some of the blogs. My husband and I are missionaries in Peru, so it's nice to read some stories from other Wives!

    Hope you're having a fabulous week!
    Amanda

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  2. ty, Amanda! "I write so that others may laugh"

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