Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Scare

LV's brother Melvin and his family left the Amish and joined a nearby Mennonite church. It was kind of nice to have his parents focus and fuss about them instead of being on our backs constantly to attend more youth singings and thinking I should join the other ladies when they went on their all day shopping sprees. I had loathed the pressure we felt to conform to all the nitty gritty things like that, that we really had no interest in what so ever and simply didn't do even though every one else did.

A few months after they had left the Amish we decided to hire a driver and go visit them for a day. LV's parents weren't too enthused about that and suggested that we at least leave Sailor and Rosebud with them while we go so that their young minds wouldn't be influenced in the harmful presence of being with their ex-Amish cousins.

We weren't too concerned about it but decided rather than go through more scrutiny to take them up on their offer.

We left early that morning and spent a very enjoyable day at Melvin's house. Around four that afternoon our driver came by to pick us up. He came to the door to make sure we knew he was there and then went out to his mini van to wait while we said our good-byes. The windows were all open and we heard his cell phone ring but didn't think anything about it until he came in acting all agitated. "LV's Mom just called," he said. "She thought we should know that the children had been playing in the sandbox nearly all day but someone just drove off with them."

The weird scream I heard apparently came from me as a horrible coldness pressed on me every where. I managed to drag myself to where I could sit and collapsed. This simply couldn't be true! Our little children had to be safe, we had left them with their Grandma. All manner of if only's were washing over me and I could hardly breathe.

The driver started laughing and said, "No, she just wanted us to know that they were going to the neighbors to help plant a garden and would drop the children off on their way home then. They just wanted us to know where they were so we wouldn't worry."

LV came and tried to get it to sink in that everything was okay. It wasn't until much later that he told me how that was the closest he ever came to hitting someone.

The harm had already been done though. After such a horrible shock I couldn't snap back that easy even though I was ever so relieved to know that the children were okay. It took days until I was back to feeling normal.

That evening when LV's parents stopped in to drop off the children I couldn't hug and hold them enough. They had their usual happy chatter about a fun filled day but all I could think of was that they were safe with me again and that I would never again leave them anywhere to have someone look after them unless absolutely necessary.

25 comments:

  1. What a terrible trick to play on someone...bless your heart...that was so cruel...I was glad the story had a happy ending though and your sweet children were safe. Blessings

    Just wondering if you don't mind...Are you of the Mennonite faith now?

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  2. What a cruel joke. What could he thinking to say something like that and think it was funny!?

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  3. Now I'm not a violent person. and I have never ever been physical fight with anyone EVER, but honestly with all my heart and power in my body I would have punched the guy. He would have needed to think long and hard about playing such cruel jokes while nursing a black eye!
    Blessings, Joanne

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  4. Most jokes have a dripping of cruelty in them, this one drowned in it! No one can feel a parent's fear for their own children, and not even a father can know the depths of a woman's sense of loss. Had the man been within arm's length, I do believe I would have slapped his face.

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  5. That was far from being funny. Too bad there are folks that unthinking around. I hope you never used that driver again.

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  6. G'morn Mary Ann ~ I know that fear too well. I live every day regretting leaving my son with a babysitter, that we trusted implicitly ... to come home having only an angel left with God. Never ever trusted ANYONE again with my children.

    That just left me with chills as I read your share.

    Have a beautiful day, my friend ~
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  7. Sorry if my previous comment was a bit harsh I know you don't believe in violence, but I have witnessed the pain of a mom looking for a lost child and it is the most horrendous feeling. In both cases the result was the child was found safe and sound ( one was missing for an entire day). I commend your husband for not acting on what he really wanted to do. I hope when the driver saw how upset you were he changed his pranking ways. Thank God your Children are ok!
    Blessings, Joanne

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  8. Wow. Just wow. That was completely not funny, cruel, unthinking and out of line. Why would anyone even think of saying something like that?

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  9. It wasn't clear who played the trick--your driver or the parents? Obviously, it doesn't make a difference since it is a sick joke! Honestly, I can't believe people would do that, how sad. You sure have gone through a lot.

    Alice

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  10. Marydon, I am so sorry that you had to experience that! So horrible.

    Alice, It was the driver.

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  11. That's terrible! I assume you never used that driver again either?.

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  12. I can't even imagine the stress! Praise the Lord they were safe! :)
    Blessings~
    Mikailah

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  13. What an awful thing to say to someone!!!!

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  14. I'm so sorry that happened to you. I don't understand why anyone would think that was funny.
    Regina

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  15. How could he play such an awful trick? That was so far from being funny! I'm glad it wasn't true, but for him to even consider saying that... *Shaking head*... Just... How could he? I don't blame LV for being so close to hitting him for that one! And I don't blame you for hugging the children so tightly when you were back with them, or for never wanting to leave them unless it was absolutely necessary in the future!

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  16. There is no worse feeling than not knowing where your children are. That was an awful thing for the driver to say to you! I can't believe that he thought that was funny!

    ((Hugs))
    Laura

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  17. Wow that is horrible! I dont understand how anybody could think that was funny. Its sick. Especially he from the world knows how many times on the news little kids go missing and theres almost no hope in finding them.

    My family are pacifists but I am certain if somebody tried that my husband and probably I would not be able to control the hand coming in for a slap.

    But thinking after a good thing LV could control it, just imagine the gossip that would go around with your family then..

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  18. What a sicko! Who would do that?

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  19. What a HORRIBLE 'joke'. Awful. No words for it. The man obviously had no children himself.

    Take care & have a nice day,
    Carolien

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  20. What a horrible thing to have happen. Working at a large insurance company we saw a documentary from the police department about missing children from their view and what things parents say the most when their child goes missing, even when they were right with the child, “We only turned our back for a minute.” What they stated was that most missing children are abducted within less then 5 minutes. This documentary asked some parents to volunteer to set up abduction, why I have no clue but these parents agreed. The problem was they were told it would be anytime within the next year. So nothing happened for the first 6 months to any of these parents, but everyone of them ended up with their children being abducted over those next six month. Every single time the parents turned their backs for more than 5 minutes, yet every time they all said, “We only turned our back for a minute.”

    Most parents do not realize how long they leave their children to even run to get a drink or go to the bathroom, especially in a crowd. It may have made me over cautious with my children when growing up, but even when the Bible tells us bad company corrupts good morals, I did not head such things. I succumbed to allowing my son in the company of some children whose parents, though Christians did not govern their children to the degree I felt good about. Every time my son ended up in trouble because I did not keep a good watch over him.

    My children are 9 years apart so I learned with my daughter to be more cautious and it paid off with being able to intervene in some very sticky situations. She is about to turn 23 and told me that she was so grateful to have a mother who stood over her and showed her right choices. The very same people who ridiculed me for being overly protective, now ask how did I get a daughter so faithful and diligent to the Lord. My reply, “You know those things you ridiculed me for, that is how.” Keep your children close and watch over them well.
    Mrs. J.

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  21. Wow! How insensitive he was to to do that to you!

    I just found your blog through the comment you left on mine. First of all, thank you for taking the time to comment. And second of all, I really looked forward to reading your blog. We live about 20 minutes from a large Amish community, and, quite frankly, I've always admired and been intrigue by their way of living. It is very interesting to me that you left the Amish order, so I look forward to learning about why you chose to do that, and how you transitioned into the "Englishman's" way of living.

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  22. Proverbs 26:18-19
    Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death, is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

    Seems like your driver needed to memorize that verse!

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  23. Some people don't have enough sense to know that this is NOT something to joke about. NEVER!

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  24. That wasn't very nice...too scary!

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.