Friday, September 4, 2009

still shaking

I have to admit, I have a love-hate relationship with summer...

love that when the boys say, "Mom, let's spend the whole day together" we actually can.
hate bearing the full burden of keeping them busy with "something constructive" (as my mother would put it.)

love going swimming and water fights
hate the heat that makes us scurry to the pool- particularly Houston's humid- makes my skin break out like I'm 16 again- heat.

love the sounds of Harrison and Asher playing so sweetly it's like they're following a script from a PBS kids' show.
hate when they fight so much and so loudly in one day it's like the house is going to implode.

and so on.

Last week school began, and with it came some blissful moments of quiet when both boys were at school. Asher attends preK 1/2 days at the same elementary school where Harrison is a first grader.

The goal has been to have the boys come home on the bus together in the afternoons, but for some reason our address wouldn't register for us to get a correct bus #. The teachers sent home little slips to be filled out for transporation each day in the first week anyway, so I'd filled out everything for them to be picked up by me the first week.

After waiting 45 minutes in the pick up line last Wednesday- I'm at the front, Harrison's in his seat getting buckled, and I see Asher's teacher approach, furrow her brow, turn around and scan the sea of kids, and approach again. "I put Asher on the bus." She says flatly, then adding, "You can probably get home before him if you hurry." She apparently couldn't find his slip and had referred to his long term paperwork which said bus.

Wondering where that little slip that I so carefully placed in a see through pocket in Asher's bag could have possibly gone, I move onto praying that he's on a bus that actually stops near our house. The whole way home I'm thinking, "Asher's four- what if he gets off near a house that looks like ours- or what if he gets off near the neighborhood pool because that's what he recognizes? What if he starts wandering? What if some wierdo's out prowling?..." We pulled into the driveway.

Asher wasn't home yet.

I posted Harrison at the bus stop in front of the house and got on the phone with the school-requesting the principal. "Dr. ____'s helping with dismissal right now, I'll forward you to her voicemail," the receptionist began. I interrupted her in my-I'm trying really hard not to lose it- voice, and said, "My four year old was just placed on a bus by mistake. I have no idea where he is. I need to speak with her right now." Long story short, during the conversation with the Principal, Harrison flung open the front door and said, "Great news, Asher's home!"

Asher stepped off the bus and said, "this is the bestest day ever! I got to ride the bus for the first time!"

And, still in that little pocket was that little slip, which clearly showed he was to be picked up by mom that day-

We're so thankful he made it back to us okay and oblivious of any problem. My sweet, innocent little man- the what ifs made me shake for an hour. And, the whole experience made me think of the mountains of mommy mistakes I'd made in my four years with him. I'm just so glad I have more time... It made me wish for the simplicity of Summer again.

7 comments:

Jared and Kari said...

My heart skipped a beat while reading your blog. I kept thinking, "What would I have done if that had been Drew?" I am so grateful that Asher got home safely. What a feeling when you know you've done things just as you were supposed to and yet you find yourself in such a frightening situation. I truly hope that the principal was more understanding and apologetic than the teacher. Regardless, I'm glad that Asher enjoyed his bus ride! ;)

Brigette Little said...

When Garrett was a new Kindergartner, I got a call from the principal saying that my older boys had come to the office because Garrett hadn't gotten on the bus - he had gotten on another one. She told me she had every bus in the district pulled over to look for him and then told me to just wait at home until they found him. They did- on a bus with a similar number. They brought him back to school, and when I picked him up, he was happy as a clam because they gave him goldfish crackers in the office! If they only knew how much we worried!

simple mom/wife said...

Oh, my goodness! I'm so glad that he was okay. I love your blog! It's been so fun to read and look through your pictures--getting to know you better. I just really look up to you!

James, Cameo, Jacob, and Eli said...

I can't believe that experience with Asher - I would just die. You are left completely helpless and there is nothing you can do but wait...aahh....I'm so glad he made it ok, though!!

heidi said...

wholly cow katherine! that almost made me start shaking. so so freaky for you. wow. glad that he thought it was so fun. wow.

Lesley said...

For some reason that post has me near tears! I am so glad it had such a happy ending. Here's hoping the bus arrangement gets worked out soon!

Ben said...

One particularly icy, nasty winter morning in Provo, Tami had an appointment in Salt Lake. She forgot her cell phone and was not heard from for about three hours. Turns out, she was stuck one one slow-moving street for most of the time, but I'm pretty sure I have never prayed like that before. I'm glad everybody's all right.