I don't like that feeling

Little girl slept in today to my surprise - since she has been waking me up at 6:00 a.m. for some time now I think - just to torture me. I looked at the clock to the first sounds of "Moooooooo-mmmmmmmm-yyyyyy!" coming from across the house and it was 8:15! Yay and Boo - all in the same breath. I was excited for the rest, but today wasn't the greatest day for it since I had to leave the house at 9:15 with lunch, snacks, plenty of liquids, sunscreen, stroller, sanity, etc. to head out to the zoo to meet some of Little Girl's best friends for the morning. It was a beautiful 82 degrees out here in the Midwest today and, by golly, we were going to enjoy the weather to it's fullest!

We flew out the door - quite late - and made it to the park a mere 30 minutes later than planned. I hate that!

Fun was had by all though as the kids got to ride the train, see the Hippo that never moves (and I mean EVER Shannon. I know these things.) and feed the giraffes while other children pushed their way in front of our sweet innocent ones to get their turn in first. Hmmmm.

But then, I had a "must need recessitation" moment when I was watching all the kids put their little faces in the holes of the animal bodies that have been painted across this thin canvas for a true Kodak moment nearly every parent takes advantage of. I was watching Little Girl and her friends run around this fairly confined area and then a second passed....

Where did Little Girl go?

When I say I felt immediate panick, nausea and fear - this was an understatement. I started to scream for her name with a sound that is reserved for gut-wrenching terror. I still can't shake this feeling if I sit and think of it now. It was 4 seconds of not seeing her anywhere and knowing that people have shuffled past me on and off the train and anything could've happened.

I, of course, since I am posting this now, found my Little Girl. She had wandered down the hill a bit and was hanging on the fence near the front of the train.

My body went into full spaghetti noodle mode when I found her and the tears came to my eyes along with the biggest lump in my throat of relief and the remaining fear left inside my body.

I know every parent has had those moments and I know there are many more to come. But I don't like it! I don't like that feeling and I don't like that fear.

I think the next step is duct taping her arm to the stroller so that she never leaves my side until she is.........much, much older.

Whew! Deep breaths in. Deep breaths out.

Tragedy averted.

Heart is back in place.

Little girl is safe in bed sleeping.

I have mostly recovered.

Better go get a cookie now to make sure that I am o.k. :-)

Thank you Lord for protecting us for one more day.