Little Boy Lost

I have to write this down so I will never forget how precious our children are, and how they can be gone in the blink of an eye.

We were shopping at the Crossroads Mall in St Cloud today, its a very confusing design, at least for me it is. We had only gone into a couple of different stores when Joseph decided he had to use the bathroom, of course. Its a pet peave of mine, they always wait until we get into a store that of course has no bathroom, then decide they have to go NOW!! So I took him out into the mall and we started to look for a bathroom. As we were frantically looking for a bathroom for J, a little blonde boy went running by, darting around people, running in and out of stores, he lept running faster and faster. Joseph is frantically looking for a sign to point the way to a restroom, but there was something about that little boy. I knew something wasn't right. I knew he was lost, and just wasn't admitting it to himself. I grabbed Dennis and the other kids, sent Joseph with Alexis to the bathroom( it ended up being 2 stores down from the store we had been shopping in). Dennis took 3 of the kids to look for the little boy, while I stayed within sight of the bathrooms, yet at the crossroads of 2 different corridors. All of a sudden he darted out of a store behind D and took off running right for me, by this time he new he was lost, but didn't know what to do about it.

I caught ahold of him and told him that I would help him find his mommy. His name was Ian. He was 5 years old and "almost in kindergarten". He was supposed to be playing in the park area with his brother and sister, but decided he wanted to go find his mommy instead. I went to the nearest store and asked them to call mall security, a little boy was lost, and couldn't find his mommy. All I could think of as I was holding this little boy, was that his mommy must be frantically looking for him.

Mall security arrived, asked for a description of his mommy, and asked him a few other questions. His last name? "I don't have a last name." how old is his brother? "I don't know, he's bigger than me." Thru all of these questions, I'm wondering why his mom hasn't contacted mall security looking for HIM. Don't they even know he's missing? Sad to say, his mom had no clue her little boy was sitting in the lap of a stranger. She didn't have any idea that her little boy could have been "helped" by someone who didn't have good intentions.

It was just by happen chance that she walked up to us and recognized her little boy sitting in my lap. I don't know if she would have even glanced at him if it weren't for the security guards around us. I don't believe she ever did realize the seriousness of the situation. All she did was ask him were his brother and sister were. Grabbed him by the hand and walked away.

I was almost in tears just holding this precious little boy. He had the sweetest little gravelly voice, and this pure white hair. He was trying to be so brave and trust us that we would be able to find his mommy. She should have been the one trying to find her little boy.

As I was using the restroom at a restaraunt today, this tiny little girl walked in, she must have been 3, maybe 4 years old, she was singing quietly to herself, had the sweetest little smile, and she was all by herself. As she walked out a lady walked in, she told me that my little girl had gone out by herself, "she's not my little girl", I said. She looked sad as she washed her hands, "people just don't cherish their children as they should", she told me. I have to agree. It would have been so easy for anyone to take that little girls hand and walk out the exit door, it was right next to the restrooms. And anybody could have "helped" little Ian right outside into their car and out of his parents lives.

So those of you who are parents out there, and are reading this, please, hold your child's hand when you are out shopping, take the time to bring your little girl to the restroom, hold them tight. For me. Our children are too precious.

Ready to get this show on the Road!!!

Yep, we are still in lovely MN, but we are getting closer to our departure. The first house that we had lined up to rent fell thru, I really don't blame the homeowners, when people see "5 kids", they think destruction. I know I wouldn't want a family with 5 children living in our house!! So we have found another house to rent, finalized it today, and its 800 sq ft larger than the first house we were looking at!! I knew God had something better in store for us!! Yeah! It has 3 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms, a pool and lots and lots of room!! I cannot wait to get going! We plan on driving down to Red Wing to spend a few days at D's newly finished hotel while he ties up some lose ends, then we will be back here Wed. and hopefully on the road down to FL Friday morning!! I'm hoping Dennis has a week off, and if he does, we plan on spending it down in FL to get settled in and scope out our new city! and swim in the ocean for the first time!!

Oh and that wireless card that I wanted to look into?? Yep, I got one, so I will have a hour-by-hour, day-by-day journal of our travels down to Florida!! yep, all 27 hours of it!! Yikes! That is going to be a fun filled trip :P I'll keep ya posted!

Storm Warnings

The storm sirens went off on Friday, the second time they have gone off in the 10 years that we have lived here! So what does every normal person do when the sirens sound? We send the kiddies to the basement, then we go stand outside on the deck and watch the free show! It ended up being nothing, at least nothing in my backyard, I guess some people west of us got golf ball size hail, but no twisters, so we can count ourselves lucky.

Losing My Mind

It has been decided , today is the day I could very well lose my mind. When my kids were little I used to think "I can't wait till they get a little more independent", well, they are alot more independent, and I'm having a hard time keeping up with all of them!! My middle 2 went for a bike ride today, they asked, I said they could, 20 minutes later I get a phone call.... they are calling from our friends house, 3 miles away!! They rode bike/rollerbladed to their house on the bike path!! I used to do the same thing when I was 11-14, but that was a different world back then! I wasn't mad at the girls, I just stressed to them that they have to ask me before they decided to do that type of thing again! I feel like they are all asking me if they can do different things at the same time, and they are in and out of the house all the time, I am having a hard time remembering who came in, who ran out, who asked what , when and WHERE???? Ugh--- definantly losing my mind!!

Oh and as I am sitting here typing I have been hearing this moaning sound, its been driving me nutty, I have not been able to figure out where it is coming from, until I finally figured it out!!! I have antique milk bottles on my kitchen windowsill, and every time a breeze comes thru the window it makes a whistleing sound!! Good grief!!

Yep-- today is the day I could lose my mind, in fact, I think it may be already gone!!

crazy weekend

Well, the sleep over was great!14 kids all together, my 5 and 9 others! Including two 3 year olds! It was a blast. The kids had so much fun, the girls did makeovers on each other, and listened to music and watched movies. The boys... well, they watched movies and spent most of the time upstairs, building with lincoln logs and legos, I think. Boys are so different than the girls! The girls are constantly coming upstairs to show us their faces and being silly and giggly. The boys are happy being left alone and doing their own things.

Dennis ended up making it home Friday night, he made it till 9 pm , than he took Branden and they went to bed, we didn't see or here from them until 8 o'clock Saturday morning. They were both exhausted I guess!

Lights out at 1:00 and then Ethan was up by 6:30! I could not believe it when the boys were up by 7, and already playing upstairs while I got breakfast in the oven! The girls didn't crawl out of bed until 8-830. Wish I could have joined them!

I didn't get to sleep until 2 in the morning, I was up quiet a bit during the night ( morning?!), its hard to sleep with so many little bodies sleeping around you! They were all great, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat!! I hope they had as much fun as I did!

SUN

Finally, the sun has shone its beautiful face in MN!! We have had gorgeous weather all week! So the kids have been outside from sun up till sun down. Which means they come in the house filthy dirty and sweaty every night! Which means bedtime gets pushed off later than usual, with all 5 kids needing baths every night. I love a big hug from my little kids when they're all sweaty and smell like sunshine. But I also love my big hugs from them when they smell all sweet and clean! Aww, yes, its been a beautiful week up in MN!

Counting down...

Well the countdown is on! My schoolroom now looks like a storage room, I have totes along the walls and I am slowly getting everything packed. Trying to decide what we really need with and what can be left in MN. Those bulky winter coats and snow boots are out, and all the swimsuits and flip flops are in!! Turtlenecks and cable-knit sweaters are out and shorts and tanks are in! School materials are in :( and scrapping and cardmaking stuff are in :)

I will be having 14 children under the age of 12 spending the night here Friday! Some may think I'm cracked to even attempt such a heroic feat--- but to tell you the truth, I think I'm as excited as the kiddies! Pizzas movies munchies... what better way for the kids to say goodbye to their friends?! Its the last hoorah for the Andersons in MN, and we plan on making it memorable! And I plan on staying up all night making cards and spending time with MY friend too!! Too bad D is going to miss out on all the fun ;)

We have found a house in FL. And its large enough so when we have friends and family visiting we have plenty of space for everyone!

I was holding out on the whole "magic kingdom" thing, 5 children (who don't always enjoy the same things) and 1 hubby who cannot stand large crowds, does not sound like "magic" to me! Plus the price tag of $500. doesn't sound very magical either.... but.... my loverly brother in law and his family are thinking about spending Christmas down in FL with us, and Disney World is top on their list of things to do together. And to be quiet honest, watching Belle's eyes light up at Cinderella's castle and seeing the other kids' expressions as they go on different rides, it does hold a certain appeal to me. And scrapping all those pics would be a blast! So I guess we shall have to see what comes of it all, I will keep you posted:)

Oh, but I am still holding out on buying DVD players for the van! I think its a shame that children cannot go a few days without having their minds turned to mush watching TV (movies too!). We made quiet a few trips back and forth from MO to MN last summer, 13-14 hrs in the van,(in a single day), so I think we can make it down to FL without watching TV. But can I make it without my internet?? Now that is the true question that has been plagueing me....maybe a wireless card could be looked at?

I have enjoyed being back in MN for a time, and I have truelly enjoyed spending time with friends and family. We are excited to embark on a new adventure, its true, we don't like the thought of having to say our goodbyes, but we are so excited to be back together as a family.

Being apart from D is very tiresome, I miss my friend, my lover. I miss having somebody to cuddle up with and I miss those hugs that only he can give. I miss those late night talks in the dark. I miss his cooking! I am very much looking forward to seeing him walk thru the front door every night, "Honey, I'm home" ;)

So I am counting down the days until FL, (and counting up the totes and luggage we need to fit in the trailer....)!!