A Scare

This is the sort of thing that gives us moms our gray hairs. And to think it was Amy this time, the child who seldom gives me a moment's worry.

Every so often one of us will need some exercise so we’ll leave half an hour early for an evening church service and walk until we get picked up by the rest of the family. Just north of here, where Powerline Road goes straight ahead and 99 takes off at a 45 degree angle, the walkers like to go straight ahead so they can walk on a "back" road, so the driver has to remember to go straight ahead also instead of turning on 99.

This evening our beautiful and charming daughter waltzed downstairs at about 5:15 and announced that she will be walking and would we please pick her up. Sure, fine.

We left at 5:40 and since Paul and I both have Part-timers (precursor to Alzheimers) we of course forgot and turned onto 99. A couple miles down the road we suddenly remembered Amy. So we turned left onto Lake Creek and then turned south on Powerline.

We drove. Far ahead I saw a flicker of brake lights. No big deal. Hmmm, no Amy. We drove past Lowell and Jeannette’s. No Amy. We got to Cartney Drive. Still no Amy. What was going on? Well, maybe she turned around for some reason. We drove on south to 99. No Amy anywhere, only empty grass fields.

What on earth was going on? I had my cell phone and called home. No answer. I called Amy’s phone, then Matt’s. No answer. Did someone take her to church? I called church. No, Amy wasn’t there.

We drove back to the house. She wasn’t there.

God have mercy, where was this girl? We decided to go on to church and see if she was there. And if she wasn’t….my stomach tightened in sick horror at all the possibilities. Those brake lights I saw…did someone come by and snatch her away? Should we look for signs of conflict or whatever the newspaper term is? We’d have to call the police…let’s see, she was wearing a green shirt and khaki skirt. Dear God, please please please let her be ok. Oh my goodness I know just what that poor Wilberger family in Corvallis went through when their daughter was abducted.

6:10, heading east on 228. If someone took her to church, why didn’t she CALL me?

We got to church 15 minutes late and I was a tangled wad of dread and fear. And then just as we got out of the van this perky girl in a green shirt and khaki skirt came out the front door and down the sidewalk. I went weak with relief. Thank you thank you Jesus praise to your name forevermore (big hug, oooh you’re really OK) thank you God.

Amy had seen the van turn onto 99 and realized we forgot her and decided to stop at Lowell and Jeanette’s to call us. Just then Brandon Baker was driving out L&J’s driveway so she flagged him down and hitched a ride to church.

"WHY DIDN’T YOU CALL???"

"Didn’t I try to call your phone? I guess I called home and then I called Dad’s phone and left a message. Goodness, I feel bad that I worried you so."

Don’t ever tell me to dye my gray hairs. I’ve earned every single one.

Quote of the Day:
"Yes! I was worried. It just didn’t make any sense."
--Paul, who seemed as cool and collected as always through the whole ordeal, when I asked him afterwards if he had been worried. So nice to know I wasn’t just being a hysterical female.