Adventures in mothering, Part 2

Ok....where did I leave off????

My kids were gone. They were not at "Nathan's" although they had been at another neighbors, but left an hour prior. So, they were last seen walking straight towards our house, about 6 houses from our own, an hour ago.....

I got Little One, and drove around, stopping at every house with a child, to see if my kids had stopped by to play...my kids are social like that, so you never know what new friends might have been made. Nobody had seen them.

I kept mulling over in my head....that they were last seen, just 6 houses from mine, walking straight towards my house.....they were on their way home ...what could have stopped them from making it home?

I really didnt think they were kidnapped, really. For a split second, I wondered if they were at the pool. They were not at the park....the pool is inside a gate. There was always the chance that when walking home, they came upon some friends that were going to the pool, and went inside with them, but I know my kids, they would have run home and said, "Can we get on our bathing suits and going swimming with Jimmy?" They would never have been content to sit at the pool, in their clothes, and watch others swim...so I didnt even bother checking out the pool.

We have some neighbor girls 2 doors down, but nobody answered when I knocked. I actually went back to that house 3 times, thinking maybe nobody heard me knock...so I knocked loudly, and rang the doorbell a bunch...no answer.

Well, crud. After an hour, I had checked every place I could think of.

I didnt want to call the Sheriff, because I knew hey were just playing somewhere. All a sheriff would do, would make a list of friends and neighbors and go recheck everyone....I could do that myself. Oh wait, I already did do that, a couple of times. I decided to call the sheriff.

One neighbor remarked that I seemed very calm, and she would have called a while ago. That made me feel "bad"...but really, if someone had nabbed my kids, I would have heard them scream. But, I couldnt find them, and that one bazillion chance was still a chance....so I called.

I was driving back to my house, from the neighbors a block over (yes, I drove, it was 98 degrees, and Little One was with me, and I wasnt about to walk around for an hour, carrying her, in the heat.)

I was giving the sheriff the description of Beauty:

Me: Curly-wavy blonde hair

Sheriff: Curly or wavy?

Me: Wavy

Sheriff: What did she have on

Me: A pink and white floral outfit, tank top and skort

Just then, as my car pulled into the driveway, I saw my kids, my smiling kids, walking over from the NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS HOUSE.

No kidding.

They had been at the house next door, right next door...no houses in between us....they were playing next door.

The people next door are very nice, but they keep to themselves. They have a daughter who is Beauty's age (or a year older) and a son that is 2 years older than Pooper. But they are never, ever outside, and my kids have never, ever played with them, EVER.

We have lived next door 5 years, and they have never played together. I didnt think they would be there.

So, I told the Sheriff......they were home, she was glad, so was I.

I gave the kids the ole, "Where were you?? I went to Nathan's and you werent there....and Luke's mom said you were at their house, but left to come home. You need to tell me when you leave one persons house and go to another, I had no idea where you were, AND I WAS JUST ON THE PHONE WITH 911 BECAUSE I COULDNT FIND YOU."

My kids just looked at me, like, Wha???? we were right next door!

Pooper ran back to the next door neighbor's house, as he had forgotten his Pokemon cards...and when he came back, the neighbor mom was with him.

Her: You called 911? (laughing)

Me: (also laughing) I know, I could not find them, they werent where they said, and I looked all around and just couldnt find them.

Her: I bet you didnt think to look here, the kids have never played together in 5 years.

Me: yeah, exactly. Who'd have thunk it???

So, today is another day, and there is exactly one week left until school starts...I have a feeling this isnt the last chapter on this saga!

BTW, still waiting for the urine analysis, will keep you posted.