Can't Make This Stuff Up! (Part 1)

Really.

Q: What do jumper cables, machine guns, and lost children all have in common?

A: All a part of my first three waking hours today.

Everything was going smoothly until about 8:20 this morning. I was loading up the kiddos to take Elena to her homeschool academy for the day, when Kai ended up being "lost" for the first time. (He was up in his room rapidly stuffing toys into a backpack to take with us.) Then the van wouldn't start.

Okay, think. I was supposed to pick up my friend's little guy too and we had just talked about how we were both ready on time....so much for that. My neighbor had her truck warming up so hoping she could give me a jump I started to roll the van out of the garage. It's a tight fit so I always park a little cock-eyed, making this more difficult than it first seemed. Oh, whoops...make that WAY more difficult as I got it going it started to roll quickly and my door was still open! I quickly jumped in and stomped on the emergency brake before the door hit the middle wall that divides the garage doors and pushed backwards. But it wasn't quick enough and the door was wedged open. Crap.

Kim, my neighbor, came over and we tried pushing the van back into the garage, but it was too heavy. (Funny sight...but we didn't try too hard). So onto plan B: move all the junk (wheelbarrow, disc golf basket, wagon, saw horses) out of the other side of the garage so we can pull her truck in to jump. It worked, well, with phone assistance from Eric (wouldn't want you to think I actually knew how to jump it by myself LOL). Yay! I pulled forward to shut my door and then we were on our way.

We got both kids to school, then walked them to their first class in the gym. The church building is HUGE, so it's a bit of a trek through a maze of hallways and stairs to get there. I stopped to finish the conversation I was having with one of the administrators for just a couple seconds...next thing I know someone is asking if I have a little boy and pointing down the hall. I dash off to find Kai and he's no where in sight. Happening to pass another academy momma, she says she saw a little guy on the stairwell.

Sure enough, at the top of the stairs I call for him and from down the hallway I hear: "I'm here Mom! I remembered the way!". Oh dear! He sure did remember as we were close to being back by the regular school rooms, but he was very far from the momma! And his coat was missing...ugh! How does the boy do it? Anyway, I had to run out to the van to get some drink money for Elena's lunch so we dash out into the cold.

On our way back inside an unmarked police car zooms into the parking lot (again...this is a HUGE church so the lot is big too) close behind another vehicle. They pull up beside a white van and suddenly men in camo gear are jumping out of the van and out of various cars! One opens a trunk and, did I just see what I thought I just saw? Yup, he pulls out a machine gun! Yikes!

To be continued (sorry, gotta go play with Kai in the basement).....