wow what a last couple of hours!

By the end of it all, I was in near hysterics and the police were here. But they found my little boy.

You never quite realize the negative and crazy thoughts that go through one's head until something like "Where's Gavin?" sinks in enough to ask first one twin, then the other, and then to their father, "When was the last time you saw Gavin?"

The blood starts really pumping and the tightness in the throat gets worse when the answers are not satisfactory. Running to the neighbors - where Gavin said he was going to be last. After being told that he left over an hour ago thru the woods, the shortcut that shaves a mere hundred yards off the walk home, has me yelling louder. And now we have the flashlights out as it is now no longer dusk, but dark dark dark out.

We're all yelling, screaming his name. And we now have split up: Dan in the car, me running to all the other neighborhood friends houses, Connor and a now-crying Rael head to the swamp in the center of the woods behind our house. I tell you my personal feeling that we have the most wonderful people in our neighborhood was confirmed; the neighbors are now out searching as well. And still no sign of the G man.

I call 911 after about twenty minutes of searching, worried, crying, near hysterics as I explain the situation.

The police arrive within ten minutes, and find Gavin within only a few minutes of that. Amazing how calm Gavin was after riding for the first time in the police cruiser, arriving home to a near hysterical mom. He takes one look at me and gives me a big hug while saying in the meekest voice "I'm so sorry, mommy." Then the tears of relief come in earnest. That scares Gavin the most.

He knows he has to tell me or Dan where he is going. Taht's the rle. If he leaves one place, he has to come home and tell me where he is going next. And the one time he apparently forgets...

Well, my head is still swirling, and my nerves are still trying to calm. Deep breaths.

The story is that after Gavin left the one friend's house, he met another in the woods (mind you, this particular friend is not one I have ever met) and then he went with to this other kid's house. He was there for over an hour, completely unaware of the chaos that was caused.

My little man says he is sorry, and I am certain he is. But he's still grounded for a couple days to the house- and that's ALL DAY folks, since he is home schooled!

Yep, you could say it has been quite an evening. How was yours?