Left

About a month ago, Jeff got 5 of the kids into the car after church while I waited for Kate.

At some point after they were all piled in, Anne Marie got out to go use the bathroom unbeknownst to Jeff.

Jeff then proceeded to pull around to the front entrance of the chapel and wait for Kate and I.

When I saw the van waiting in a different spot than where we had parked, I naturally assumed that everyone was in the van.

I should have done a head count then. But I didn't even look in the back, I just began to talk to Jeff about church.

About a mile down the road, Henry called my name so I turned to talk to him.

It was at this point that I realized immediately that Anne Marie wasn't there.

Me to Jeff "Where's Anne Marie?"

Jeff to me "Uhhhh. She was there."

So we promptly turned around and headed back to the church.

As we got closer we could see someone at the tall iron fence that lines the property.

Yup, it was Anne Marie. Sobbing.

Of course at this point we feel about as low as a person can feel.

We parked, she found us, and everyone who wasn't buckled into a car seat jumped from the van to embrace her and tell her how much we love her.

She cried for a little while longer. We apologized over and over. Told her we didn't mean to, that we loved her and that we would always come find her if she got lost.

It was a bit traumatic for all of us, but the rest of the day went smoothly and she never brought it up again after that day.

So I thought she was over it.

Well, she wasn't.

Last week we went to curriculum night at the elementary and upon visiting Anne Marie's classroom, her teacher showed us what the kids had been working on. One item was where she would ask them about a change in their life, something big or that had been hard.

On a litle post it note Anne Marie had written "My mom left me".

Awesome.

So we talked to the teacher about it, explained what had happened and all had a nice little chuckle.

But then she said "You should go look at the picture she drew about it."

Wait. What?


That is Anne Marie standing at the fence at church.

And the funny thing is, it was really Jeff who left her. Not me. I'm the one who noticed she wasn't in the car. But she will always remember it the other way. The way in which I'm the type of parent who forgets my kids.

Which I don't. Usually.

But all's well that end's well. Right?

RIGHT?!