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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

A lunatic

is what I have become since reading Jaycee Dugard's "A Stolen Life." I am not in any way comparing these incidents to her horrific story or what her mom must have endured. But it did heighten my awareness of abduction and has me sticking like glue to my children.

Two weeks ago after falling asleep reading the book, I was startled awake by a loud noise. It sounded like a door shutting. I immediately ran into the kids room and turned on the light. Dylan's bed was empty. I started calling his name to see if he had gotten up and gone downstairs. Our blown hallway light bulb, left the downstairs pitch black. I was scared to go down alone so I started shaking John awake. Without any luck, I ran back into to Dylan's room to get his flashlight out of his nightstand. When I reached the other side of the bed, there was my son, safe, sound and fast asleep on his floor!!! I scooped him up and held him for a few minutes before tucking him back into bed.

Prior to reading this book, I would have recognized the sound as one of my kids falling out of bed and not thought it was a stranger exiting my home with kids in tow.

Flash forward to last night. Dylan wakes up needing my help in the bathroom. After I return him to his bed, naturally I go to check on Camryn. However, she is not in her bed. Recalling the previous incident, I calmly searched her room. She was not on either side of the bed, nor under it or in her tent or closet. I checked Dylan's bed and then my bed. At this point all the lights in the upstairs are on and I'm beginning to panic. John woke easily and double checked all the places I looked.

My heart started to race as I ran downstairs and searched their was well. At this point, I really thought someone was playing a joke on me. Together we opened every door, peered in every hiding spot, including places she couldn't even fit and scoured every inch of the house. Once I saw the urgency in my husband's actions, I knew it was scaring him too! He was about ready to start a grid search of the backyard when Dylan called down to us that he found her!

Bolting up the stairs I ran into his room, to find her safe, sound and fast asleep in her brother's closet!! It took a few minutes for my adrenaline to stop racing but I knew I wasn't go to fall back asleep anytime soon. With both my children snug in between me and my husband, I lay awake wondering how long it would take for me to return to my normal level of craziness.

One thing is for sure, my kindle is now filled with mindless chick lit for the rest of the summer!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Something New

The kids are claiming boredom at home after our fun infused week in Cleveland. So today I thought we would spice up our typical Monday at the lake house with a new activity. Dylan partakes in all the water sports behind the boat, except for water skiing. He tried it two summers ago and after not being a pro after three attempts, he gave up and has yet to revisit it. Soooo, I thought today would be the perfect day to try again.

Other than a lone jet ski, we were the only boat on the lake so it was like glass. No one else, including his summertime crush, was there to witness if he failed. We went to a marina and bought him his own pair of skis, rather than the rotten ones I learned on as a kid that didn't work out so good last time.

I have such fond memories of learning to water ski, I really wanted to make this fun for him. As I floated in the water getting his skis on him, I could hear my parents cheering me on as my Poppy pulled me behind the 12 horsepower fishing boat. I had high hopes that our experience would be the same.

I geared him up for success. Skis together, knees bent, arms out straight, don't lean back, don't lean forward. All we could do was try, so John start to pull and off he went...over the front of the skis. Getting him all situated again I gave his bottom an extra little boost this time and...he sat too far back. But the third time he managed to make it a few yards. As he kept making it further and further, I would swim to him and start the process over. I relished in the moment as he was smiling and laughing the whole time we were gearing back up and dodging the waves.

And then finally he just got it!!! As he left me in his wake, I cheered like crazy as he hung on tight. And with John as the driver and Camryn was the spotter, would you believe we don't have any pictures or video to document the monumental event. But I have a feeling this won't be the last time he water skis...so pics to follow!