I've only been a mother for 5 1/2 VERY fast years. I've learned A LOT over those years....but somehow, I think God skipped over giving me that "natural" protective instinct. I'm usually pretty uptight. I like a plan. I have to know what's going on. But when it came to planning for babies -- I wanted suprise (which is why we didn't find out the sex of the first two kiddos). And I seem oddly laxed (probably more than I should be) when it comes to the kids. Let me share a couple of stories to back up my point.
A few years ago -- Colton was probably 18months-ish -- we went camping at Indiana Beach. Jason's parents, Seth & Jen, and Aunt Deb & Uncle John. That Saturday afternoon, we decided what fun it would be to take a boat out on the lake. So we rented a pontoon, loaded up and headed out. We ventured around the beautiful big Ferris Wheel, and joined the crazy busy lake traffic. Ahh what fun.
And then...like in the blink of an eye...some kid on a jet ski cuts us off, his wake hits us, and to "go over it" Captain John speeds up....only the reverse effect happened -- we didn't go over, we went down...nose diving the pontoon into Lake Shafer. The next few minutes are a blur, but I remember the following:
1.) Debbie cussing, profusely, about putting on life jackets.
2.) Water rushing in ... everywhere.
3.) Colton dawdling around in his life jacket.
4.) Me saving OUR BEACH BAG ... that had two beach towels and Jason's wallet...which likely had MAYBE $10 in it.
5.) Someone (not me) scooping Colton up to safety. Thankfully.
Eventually the boat leveled back out. No one died (thank GOD), but the boat did, and 10 minutes after our maiden voyage left the banks...we were being towed back to shore. Minus the two doors. Minus about 5 sandals. Half of our group went home barefoot that day. But hey -- mother of the year here -- SAVED THE BEACH TOWELS. I still shake my head remembering it. WHERE was my motherly protective instinct? Why wasn't my first reaction to a sinking ship to SAVE MY SON?!?! We may never know...
Fast forward a few years -- Colton's now 5 1/2 and in school all day. Yesterday, as Keaton and I were soaking the last few days of my maternity leave -- I heard several sirens through my open windows. I remember sending up a silent prayer to watch over whomever was in trouble. And I remember thinking, "Wow, that's a lot of sirens"...but I didn't register anything. I figured there had been a bad accident, and went about my day. That was at about 12:30-1pm.
About 2:45, as I was on the phone with Mom and scrolling through facebook -- I noticed that someone commented that the Farmers State Bank (about 3 blocks from the school) had been robbed. Huh. Again, didn't think much of it...until as Mom and I were chatting away, a 984 phone number beeped into my phone. I told Mom I didn't know who it was, and thought I better answer it. I clicked over and hear the following: "Hello. This is Frontier School Corporation. Today, Frontier Elementary School was on a Level 1 lockdown due to criminal activity with in the vicinity of the school. As of 2:45 pm we received the all clear from law enforcement. Dismissal will occur as normal. Thank you.".
OH MY GOODNESS....my child was on LOCKDOWN at school, and I didn't even consider it. (FYI, the bank was robbed, and the idiots (aka, drug dealers) who robbed the bank were picked up by police after a short chase, closer to Lafayette. And they weren't from around here, so it was a total random bank robbery). Regardless...my poor kid was on lockdown due to "increased criminal activity" and I didn't even think a thing about it!!! Again, where's that natural protectiveness? Mom said later I should be proud that I wasn't one of those Moms who was texting to find out what was going on, or calling the school every 10 minutes to make sure my kid was okay.
I asked Colton how his day was when he got home. He mentioned that they had second recess inside because they were changing all the locks on the school doors. That was it. I thanked God for their innocence. Then cringed thinking that my kids would grow up in a world where lockdowns even exist.
So. I'll keep on, keeping on as a Mom. And I'll do my best to protect my kids. I just hope that before Keaton turns 21, I'll learn how to be naturally protective. And that I'll chose saving my children over saving a beach towel.
A few years ago -- Colton was probably 18months-ish -- we went camping at Indiana Beach. Jason's parents, Seth & Jen, and Aunt Deb & Uncle John. That Saturday afternoon, we decided what fun it would be to take a boat out on the lake. So we rented a pontoon, loaded up and headed out. We ventured around the beautiful big Ferris Wheel, and joined the crazy busy lake traffic. Ahh what fun.
And then...like in the blink of an eye...some kid on a jet ski cuts us off, his wake hits us, and to "go over it" Captain John speeds up....only the reverse effect happened -- we didn't go over, we went down...nose diving the pontoon into Lake Shafer. The next few minutes are a blur, but I remember the following:
1.) Debbie cussing, profusely, about putting on life jackets.
2.) Water rushing in ... everywhere.
3.) Colton dawdling around in his life jacket.
4.) Me saving OUR BEACH BAG ... that had two beach towels and Jason's wallet...which likely had MAYBE $10 in it.
5.) Someone (not me) scooping Colton up to safety. Thankfully.
Eventually the boat leveled back out. No one died (thank GOD), but the boat did, and 10 minutes after our maiden voyage left the banks...we were being towed back to shore. Minus the two doors. Minus about 5 sandals. Half of our group went home barefoot that day. But hey -- mother of the year here -- SAVED THE BEACH TOWELS. I still shake my head remembering it. WHERE was my motherly protective instinct? Why wasn't my first reaction to a sinking ship to SAVE MY SON?!?! We may never know...
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| The only sandals that came home that day... |
About 2:45, as I was on the phone with Mom and scrolling through facebook -- I noticed that someone commented that the Farmers State Bank (about 3 blocks from the school) had been robbed. Huh. Again, didn't think much of it...until as Mom and I were chatting away, a 984 phone number beeped into my phone. I told Mom I didn't know who it was, and thought I better answer it. I clicked over and hear the following: "Hello. This is Frontier School Corporation. Today, Frontier Elementary School was on a Level 1 lockdown due to criminal activity with in the vicinity of the school. As of 2:45 pm we received the all clear from law enforcement. Dismissal will occur as normal. Thank you.".
OH MY GOODNESS....my child was on LOCKDOWN at school, and I didn't even consider it. (FYI, the bank was robbed, and the idiots (aka, drug dealers) who robbed the bank were picked up by police after a short chase, closer to Lafayette. And they weren't from around here, so it was a total random bank robbery). Regardless...my poor kid was on lockdown due to "increased criminal activity" and I didn't even think a thing about it!!! Again, where's that natural protectiveness? Mom said later I should be proud that I wasn't one of those Moms who was texting to find out what was going on, or calling the school every 10 minutes to make sure my kid was okay.
I asked Colton how his day was when he got home. He mentioned that they had second recess inside because they were changing all the locks on the school doors. That was it. I thanked God for their innocence. Then cringed thinking that my kids would grow up in a world where lockdowns even exist.
So. I'll keep on, keeping on as a Mom. And I'll do my best to protect my kids. I just hope that before Keaton turns 21, I'll learn how to be naturally protective. And that I'll chose saving my children over saving a beach towel.
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