where is he??

He wasn't actually lost at all. We just thought he was--Lydia had followed along with him and taken him on a walk back to the field.

We were all working--Alicia was nursing her baby. I was cleaning and packing inside. The men were putting the trailer away. The older kids were in the yard putting away lawn chairs and hanging around.

And then Alicia realized he was gone. 

Gone.

We fanned out searching.  I ran through the house yelling his name, knowing he probably wouldn't answer anyway, would just stand quietly. 

I raced up the stairs and scanned the bedrooms, looked between the beds and in the closets. 

Outside, below the windows, I saw Alicia in the road, baby in her arms, searching up and down, scanning the resort next door, and John racing along the shore and docks.

Horrifying.  Terrible.

He was fine.  Never lost at all, not in danger.

Whee. I've been through this before.  Once upon a time we couldn't find Kirsten. We searched and hollered.  The big boys and uncles were searching in the shallow water, terrified.   I ran through the cabin looking one more time and spotted a trail of blonde hair sticking out of a sleeping bag.

She'd fallen asleep on a day bed in the side room.   GAWD.

This happened too with James.  He was hiding between the wall and a bed because he had some hit clips toy he wasn't supposed to have.  Bullshit on hit clips.  Who cares. I was so angry I felt like assaulting every person in the cabin.

They all stared at me.  Obviously I'm the one who is freaking out, and they are all are not.  I went for a walk.

My sister thought they should send someone after me, lest I be kidnapped.

Who would kidnap a nine months pregnant woman, angrily marching along a dirt road beside a lake?

Jay said no.  Let her be.

Oh. My. God.

At work, all the time, people tell me how calm I seem.

Really?

I chew gum when I'm nervous. Some nights I drive home with jaws that actually ache.  I teased the others that maybe I should take up smoking.

Alicia would be this.  Calm appearing.

She thanked Kari. (THANKED HER)  Thanked her for keeping him safe.

"Nice if we'd have known that, however," I added.

The child is fine.  Always was.   Praise God.  

Good thing your hair is blonde, Alicia. Then when it turns bright white, it'll seem more subtle.

b.g., we are so glad you're safe.

love, Grandma and Grandpa and everybody