Runaway

Monday was a fabulous day off, Jer was home all day & we were "moving some stuff around" in the garage, (not technically cleaning it out like we should have) when Brayden walked out and announced he was ready to say goodbye to his training wheels. We were more than happy, and Jer took them off right away. Of course I went inside to get the camera, what else. Next thing I know, he is totally riding this bike with Jer running full speed along side of him!! I didn't expect it to happen so fast! Jer was such a proud Dad & it was so awesome to see the look on Brayden's face. He was so PROUD of himself, GIDDY, and grinning ear to ear. I guess he was more than ready & we probably should have taken them off a while ago!
That afternoon, Kosty went down for a nap & I took the glorious opportunity of going grocery shopping with ZERO kiddos in tow. When I got home, Jer told me that while he was in the shower, Brayden took off on his bike and his sister Mindy had seen him. So Jer went looking for him and found him at the park with some friends. He got a major "talking to" by his Dad and then again by me when I found out what happened. I guess the new found freedom he has been feeling without his training wheels has gone straight to his head. I thought he had learned his lesson, well apparently not...

The next day, I was making dinner & I told the kids that we could go out front to ride bikes while dinner was in the oven. I opened up the garage & then was trying to get shoes for Kosty that were nowhere to be found. So finally we both had shoes on & called for Brayden. Silence. Went out front. No where in sight. NOT AGAIN, I tell myself. I hop on the bike with Kosty and go around the corner, hoping he would be right there. Nope. I am yelling his name at the top of my lungs. The whole neighborhood was eerily empty. I went toward his friend Alex's house who he had went to the first time this happened, no sign. Went to the park, no kids. Maybe he looped around & is back at the house, I thought. Wrong. So at this point I am starting to panic, I can feel the lump in my throat & tears welling up in my eyes, thinking I am going to have to call every neighbor & the police next. One last look at the end of my street, I see a couple boys his age playing. I start to feel better. Then I am racking my brain thinking what was he wearing, it was a white shirt. Neither of these boys are wearing white, I can see that from a distance. Oh boy. Then I look at The Young's driveway & there is his bike. It was such a relief & angry feeling all at the same time. I literally wanted to spank his butt up to the moon, but I also wanted to squeeze him. And 2 days in a row, are you kidding me?? It's so not like him. This is my "obedient" child? Oh boy.

Anyways, of course Jamie had tried to call me, but I was on the hunt. He got an even bigger 'talking to' this time & he had big tears rolling down his cheeks the whole time. I grounded him from his bike, friends, video/computer games today. I am so grateful it turned out okay, thanks to my neighbors Lori & Jamie for looking out for him! Another sad part was that after I found him, he said, "I don't think Heavenly Father's prayers work, because I pray every night to choose the right & I just keep choosing the wrong." That led us to another discussion, & I could tell he really felt bad. Hopefully that was the LAST time. It really got me thinking about when he is a teenager~ what if he comes home late from curfew, or just the fact of him driving by himself, I am so not ready for that! I guess this is the part where I should say sorry Mom and Dad! Now I know how it feels, not good at all!