Lanker Landings: August 2008

Well that may not be quite true on some details I give.

Brendon & Caleb were in 1st grade when I was sleeping really well one day and overslept to get them from school. I woke up around 3:25 I believe and panic struck. Meryn and Trevin were both sleeping as I grabbed them and drug them to the car. I was not dressed to be seen by anyone and as I was speeding the one mile to the school, I realized Meryn must have a very nasty diaper by the smell of things. The parking lot was empty when I pulled up and I was sick that I would have to go to the office to get them looking the way I did.

That was the last time I thought about the way I looked that day. As I ran into the school, feeling like a loser mom, it only took a couple strange looks and no kids in sight for my embarrassment to change to fear. No one had seen my boys since they were dismissed at 3:10. I had such a pit in my stomach as I ran to the van and decided to drive home really quick watching for them to be walking home. Well I looped every road twice and no twins in sight. I ended up back at the school where they had called 911 and I had to get on the phone and give them a description. I was so anxious to get back out looking for them; it would be interesting to see the report. I had absolutely no idea how tall they were what they weighed or which t-shirt they had under their jackets. All I new was they looked identical and I remember telling the dispatcher that they should be easy to spot, I would hope, they were the only two 7 year old twins with glasses and backpacks on the loose.

Greg was on duty at the fire department, so when he finally got the okay to come be with me, I really needed him! I was an emotional wreck. We left stinky Meryn and Trevin with another first grade teacher and were told to go home to wait in case the boys showed up. That didn't happen! Our first glimmer of hope came from a parent who lived close by, said he had seen them crossing main street(a very busy street). I just found that so surprising because I was always so over protecting and never let them cross any streets without a Greg or I and they never had.

Well by this time it is after 4 pm, Greg has his fire radio and we hear all the fire trucks and even the a couple chiefs were headed to that part of town to help with the search. There were already at least 6 cops swarming the area also. The next lead we had was from my parents neighbor. He had seen the boys walking away from my parents house, which he thought was strange, but said they looked like they knew where they were going. I had such a better feeling knowing at least no one had taken them, even though I was still scared, that helped. It was about 4:25 when we got the call that a teacher had spotted them and had them safe. We rushed over to where they were and apparently it was announced over the radios also. There were 4 fire engines 2 chiefs trucks, 3 cop cars, a chaplain and the teachers(oh and a helicopter, from the Lifeteam at the hospital, circling over the area) when we pulled along side the road where they were. It looked like something major had just happened. It was major!!! It was such a surge of emotion when we got to them, they were crying (I believe out of fear from all the men in uniform and fear of being in trouble). We just hugged them and have never felt such relief.

So this is what happened according to Brendon and Caleb...

All the kids were picked up and they thought everyone had left the office also. So they decided to walk the mile to grandma and grandpas house, for some reason, instead of the mile home. Brendon did not want to walk but Caleb was going to go with or without him and Brendon sure didn't want to be left by himself, so he went reluctantly (still his personality today). They got to my parents house, found the key(they were out of town) and went in and called our house(I should have listened to the dispatcher). The phone was off the hook, so they spent a while looking through drawers for G&G cell phone numbers. They couldn't find them so they locked up the house, returned the key and headed home. The odd part is they went a way we never walk and went through a big open field, which is where they were spotted by the teacher and my nightmare ended. I guess I did get embarrassed again at that point, with how I looked. I actually felt & looked the part of a looser mom:) along with Meryn in only a stinky diaper:)

I know God protected our little guys that day and I am so thankful. It was one of the scariest days we've ever had and hope to ever have!!!

I took some pictures today of most of the house. (some encouragement from a certain sister helped:)) There are still many unfinished projects as you can tell. We are making lots of progress so far. We have slowed way down, as we over did it initially. We are slowly but surely turning it into feeling more like our home.