I've Lost the Kids

Katie is away on a retreat this weekend. I told her a few months ago...GO! I'll handle things, you need to do this.

So, yesterday she left.

Today, I've lost the kids.

It started last night. I picked up Justin from the football game and when I arrived he said to me "Stacy (a friend from church) is picking me up". Not good. I told him that I was there to take him home and he should call and tell her not to come. I also explained that he only needed the ride TO school...and he said "oh, I thought you were working tonight". As we have done all season, when I work on Friday nights, I pick him up from school afterward. I thought he understood this. Simple, no?

When he comes back out to the car he tells me that Bill, Stacy's husband, answered. Justin tells me that he asked Bill if Stacy had her cell phone and was told "probably not". That was that. (What I didn't realize at the time is that Justin only asked that one question of Bill...he didn't explain the situation!)

So Justin and I are sitting waiting for Stacy to arrive just to tell her to turn back around and go home. I'm feeling bad because this is an inconvenience for Bill and Stacy because the school is twenty minutes from their home. So, I'm thinking that it is very unfortunate that Stacy is on her way and I asked Justin again "Do we know if Stacy has her phone?" and he said "Bill didn't think so", and I asked Justin..."did you tell him the situation?" Justin said "uh...no". I told Justin to go (he has to use the band room phone because I don't carry a cell) try to call her anyway, and at least Bill, so we can catch her before she gets all the way here. He said "I don't know her number". Ugh! Boys! I said "Call her husband to tell her that I'm picking you up!" I started getting frustrated here because I couldn't figure out why Justin didn't tell that to Bill to begin with! Justin said "oh man, I didn't think of that!"

Justin comes back out to the car and says "ok, all settled, Stacy is turning around and going home." Yay.

As we pull out of the drive, Justin mentions something about Tiffany, his sister, not being home tonight. I'm thinking did I know this? So Justin tells me "Stacy brought Tif to the football game and then Tif left with another girl and said 'mom said it was okay'".

I asked Justin "Who is Tif with?" and he said he didn't know.

URGH!

"Who is Tiffany with? What girl? Where is she at?"

He had no idea! I was getting nervous and upset because now I have no idea where Tiffany is! I'm not doing a very good job as the not-the-mom!

Then Justin finally says "Ohhhhhhh....it's coming to me...(as he is coaxing it up from the recesses of his brain)...Emily! She's at Emily's!"

Yay, I could relax then. I trust Emily's parents...but, I wasn't sure if I could trust Justin's information! LOL

I explained to Justin that he is the older brother and needs to be responsible for knowing the whereabouts of his sister and making sure she is okay!

*sigh*

So, today I knew that the youth from church were working on a a roof for a member of Northbrook. (They became quite skilled at roofing during a mission trip in the early summer.) Justin had made arrangements for transportation there. When I left I let him know that I would be home around 5:30 and he said "Ok".

So...here I am...home at 5:30 and no kids.

I've lost the kids!

Again!

Ugh.

I called Stacy and left a message on her answering machine asking "where are my not-the-kids?"

She just this moment called back to tell me they just got back from roofing and are famished. She was going to feed the kids and then Bill would bring them home.

I said "you don't trust me to feed the kids?" LOL

She hesitantly said "ummmmmmmm...."

LOL

So, the lost have been found! (and are now being fed)

Being a not-the-mom is tough work and I'm missing my friend right now!