It Can Happen SO Fast

Even though we were in the midst of the “sickies” last weekend, I still managed to get the boys to their respective soccer games and do laundry, feed children (and eventually myself) and resume life to mostly normal.  I even brought the snack for G’s game!

But, and this is probably NOT news to anyone here, it turns out I am NOT Supermom.  “Why?”do you ask… Well, perhaps because I lost one of my kids for a few minutes on Saturday.  Yes, people, that’s right.

LOST.

Since Tim was sick on Saturday I took the kids to the soccer games by myself.

Long story longer, I sent the boys to the edge of the soccer fields as I got K out of the car.  After I got all of the things I needed out of the car (including the 2-year old) I gathered the boys for the 100-yard or so walk to the field where G’s game was to be played. I turned around near some restrooms to make sure all my ducks were in a row and they were NOT.

G was GONE.  Nowhere to be seen.  I tried to stay calm and sent The B Man running toward his field thinking maybe G recognized his coach and went that way. No luck.

Next I found an older man driving a golf cart (many of the people who work at the fields drive golf carts) and asked him if he worked there.  He said he had in the past and I told him the situation.

He hopped off his cart and asked me what he looked like.  I told him that he’s blond and wearing…

Now here’s the “kicker”…

The league decided that this season all the kids would wear the SAME uniform.  They ALL wear blue shorts and then a blue or white jersey depending if they are labeled the “home” or “away” team.  As I was looking for my child ALL I saw was a sea of blue and white clothed children.  NO WAY to find MY individual child.  I was not very happy with the uniform colored uniforms before but now I really hate them. Like HATE.

Anyway, next thing I know (as I’m about to REALLY start panicking and crying) my neighbor happens to walk up and says, “Hey Elaine.”  I blurt out to him that I cannot find Gavin, that he was JUST here and that I’m freaking out. He says he’ll head toward the parking lot.

Thankfully within seconds he spots another dad carrying him.  G had gone back to our car.  Crossed the parking lot BY himself.  My heart dropped but then I saw he was safe and I was so thankful for this man.  I told him ten-fold.

He handed a crying G off to me and said, “Now that you found your mom Gavin, go win that game!”

I believe people are innately good.  And I know most of the people at the soccer fields are parents themselves and would never dream of  harming another person’s child.  But I can’t help think about the few people that may be just hanging around waiting to find a child like mine to snatch up for God only knows what reason.  You know, preying on a distracted mother of three…

The time Gavin was gone was no more than 2 or 3 minutes but of course it felt like an eternity to me.  I tried to stay calm for my other children but when the thought crossed my mind of someone of ill-will grabbing him up, my entire body went cold.  I just cannot imagine. And what about the cars in the parking lot?  Yeah, that too.

I’ll admit that I was on the verge of losing it completely right before he was found.  I cannot fully explain the feeling of relief that washed over me when he was.  But I can explain the guilt that I felt for misplacing him.

I’m responsible for this little guy and for a short but crucial bit of of time, I failed. I know this could have happened to any parent that day, or any time for that matter, but it doesn’t change the way I felt afterward.  Pretty much like crap.

He did win his game and I felt better as the day went on, but still….