The end of the story is that Will is 100% safe and sound. The beginning of the story is that he disappeared and had to be brought home by the police. Yep, Will. My 2-year-old.
When we bought this house, one of our favorite parts was the big backyard with the long driveway that was gated in. Kids have a ton of room to play, ride a bike, chalk, baseball, etc. All safe and secure with a big iron gate.
Just like we've done hundreds of times, yesterday afternoon I let both boys play outside in the backyard. Like always, I looked over at the gate and saw that it was closed. Like always, I was back and forth. Coming inside for a little, being outside for a little. While inside I was in Mom Mode in the middle of several different things: starting dinner, sorting through backpacks and folders, checking email, and even a quick break to go to the bathroom.
At some point in the time I was inside, I heard the back door open and close but didn't think anything of it. A few minutes later, I was back in the kitchen and realized I heard Tate upstairs in his room. I look outside and see no one. I call for Tate and ask him if Will is with him. He says no. Immediately I went into panic mode.
I start running all over the backyard, looking in the garage, looking in my car. Nothing. I look at the gate. It is closed. I run to the front yard and look up and down the street. Nothing. And the absolute worst part of that moment. You could hear a pin drop. Complete silence. Will was nowhere.
So then I make the 911 call you never in a million years want to make. I can't find my child. I will say in the first couple of minutes I was calm getting the information to the operator as quickly and clearly as possible. The entire time I'm telling him our address, Will's name, what he was wearing, etc., I'm also running back and forth from the front yard to the back yard, walking up and down the sidewalk yelling for Will. Nothing. After a couple minutes of that, my calmness on the phone was gone. The reality of the situation and the what ifs kicked in.
When it was all said and done, I was probably on the phone with 911 for 10-15 minutes, but it felt like hours. After lots of lots of questions and instruction on where to look for him, I heard the operator say that they think someone has him. A few minutes after that, a policeman and incredible neighbor pulled up to our house with Will sitting in the front seat. "Ma Ma!" he happily yells when he sees me. Maybe the best sound I've ever heard.
We are the fourth house down on our street. In the 10 minutes or so before he was found, Will had somehow pushed open and then closed the gate, walked four houses down, turned the corner walking by two more houses, and then began walking toward the entrance to our subdivision, which is near a very busy intersection. A neighbor was driving, saw him, pulled over, and called 911. While I was on the phone with a 911 operator, they got the call that someone had found a lost toddler.
I have never had that kind of fear before. Adrenaline took over my body in an indescribable way, while at the same time I felt like I was going to throw up any second. And then when it was over, and Will was happily playing with a Thomas train inside our home, my body felt like I had just run a marathon.
So all in all maybe the entire episode was 15-20 minutes at the most. I am beyond grateful that the outcome is what it is. Will is oblivious to what happened and doesn't have a scratch on him. I'm thankful to have realized he was gone when I did and not any later. And to the neighbor (whose name I don't even know), I will be forever grateful for noticing and helping.
In my head, I know not to get wrapped up in thinking of the what ifs or the should've dones, but that is hard not to do. A Tylenol PM at least helped me get some sleep last night, so I could get those thoughts out of my head. I hope at some point I can figure out who the neighbor is, so I can give him a proper thank you, rather than my uncontrollable sobbing mess of a thank you.
I don't ever pretend to understand why this ended quickly and happily, while we often hear about situations like this that end sadly. But still, I'm incredibly thankful to the Lord that today our lives continued on like nothing ever happened.
Except our safe and secure gate is now a safe and secure padlocked gate.
When it was all said and done, I was probably on the phone with 911 for 10-15 minutes, but it felt like hours. After lots of lots of questions and instruction on where to look for him, I heard the operator say that they think someone has him. A few minutes after that, a policeman and incredible neighbor pulled up to our house with Will sitting in the front seat. "Ma Ma!" he happily yells when he sees me. Maybe the best sound I've ever heard.
We are the fourth house down on our street. In the 10 minutes or so before he was found, Will had somehow pushed open and then closed the gate, walked four houses down, turned the corner walking by two more houses, and then began walking toward the entrance to our subdivision, which is near a very busy intersection. A neighbor was driving, saw him, pulled over, and called 911. While I was on the phone with a 911 operator, they got the call that someone had found a lost toddler.
I have never had that kind of fear before. Adrenaline took over my body in an indescribable way, while at the same time I felt like I was going to throw up any second. And then when it was over, and Will was happily playing with a Thomas train inside our home, my body felt like I had just run a marathon.
So all in all maybe the entire episode was 15-20 minutes at the most. I am beyond grateful that the outcome is what it is. Will is oblivious to what happened and doesn't have a scratch on him. I'm thankful to have realized he was gone when I did and not any later. And to the neighbor (whose name I don't even know), I will be forever grateful for noticing and helping.
In my head, I know not to get wrapped up in thinking of the what ifs or the should've dones, but that is hard not to do. A Tylenol PM at least helped me get some sleep last night, so I could get those thoughts out of my head. I hope at some point I can figure out who the neighbor is, so I can give him a proper thank you, rather than my uncontrollable sobbing mess of a thank you.
I don't ever pretend to understand why this ended quickly and happily, while we often hear about situations like this that end sadly. But still, I'm incredibly thankful to the Lord that today our lives continued on like nothing ever happened.
Except our safe and secure gate is now a safe and secure padlocked gate.
