The Missing....

I have decided that there is almost nothing scarier than a missing child.

I returned to school yesterday, and Luke went back with his friends at daycare, which went just fine for both of us. It's especially nice since Luke is doing so very well with potty training. It's amazing how just a few days in big boy pants has him doing all of his business all by himself whenever he feels like it (he is now at the point he doesn't want me there, just goes to do it, then tells me about it....it's great!). Anyway, he is still going out in pull ups, just in case, but he might be able to start heading to play with his friends in boxers very soon.

Anyway, I picked him up yesterday afternoon and came home to set to work cleaning the fish tank. Shortly after I started filling it again, the dog started barking. It was obvious he was seeing someone, or something, outside that he wasn't familiar with and wanted to alert me. I glanced and saw someone in dark clothing walking up the street to talk to my neighbor across the street. On a second glance, I realized he was a cop and that there were 3 cars & an SUV from the Sheriff's Department parked right outside. Alarm bells obviously start going off, but I had decided to just sit by and watch. It was only after I saw that Dawn was alone and her husband wasn't there (he had been earlier) that I decided to go over and see if she wanted the boys out of the way. I thought maybe someone broke in. As we all know, it can happen anywhere.

Mike pulled back in just as I was reaching the driveway, so I told him that I saw Dawn was alone and wasn't just being nosy. He said "We cant' find Mitchell. He's been gone for about an hour." Holy heart stop! This is a 5-yr old little boy, it was getting close to sunset, and the temps weren't exactly warm. Not to mention all the horrible thoughts that run through a person's mind....

Since I know the neighborhood well (because I walk it so much), I said I'd start walking and see if I could find him. The cops already had the dog out in the yard trying to see if he could find any signs, but one heard and said "that's a good idea." So, I ran back to the house (btw, I had my boy in my arms the whole time), loaded Luke into the stroller, grabbed my coat and a heavy blanket to wrap around Luke, and headed out.

It made one loop and was coming to check back in when Mike found Mitchell. He had been hiding in a camper they own. Weird thing is that it had already been checked, even by the cops, three times! The boy was hiding well, apparently! He had heard the commotion and looked out to see what was going on, got scared, and continued to hide. Mike happened to look in their again at just the right time to see him one time. Thank God!!

Nobody is really sure why this little boy decided to run off and hide like that. He had been playing with an ice fishing rod, the line broke, and he went to tell his mom that he broke his dad's fishing pole. She said it was okay, that it could be fixed, and went to put it away. In that time, Mitchell went to the playhouse in the backyard and started crying. She went to get him, asked what was wrong (no answer) and asked him to come lay down for a bit. He let her pick him up, but Dad came home at that time and Mitchell freaked out. He wrestled out of mom's arms, took off through a part of their fence that's broken, and that was that. When he never came back, they got scared. So did the rest of us, obviously. But there's no rhyme or reason to his behavior. Both parents said he's been acting very unusual for about a month, and they're now going to look into counseling for him. He's 5, so it's more difficult, but after hearing the things he's been saying and doing, I actually agree that this very young child needs help.

So, give your kiddos an extra hug today and let them know how much you're glad they're around.....