the scary truth

Yesterday  at 1:09 I got the call no parent ever wants to get. The school called to say there had been a threat at the the high school and they had moved all of the students to the middle school for safety until the building was deemed "clear".

Say WHAT?!

The next couple of hours were quite worrysome. I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry a little, or have all of those images of other school crisis run through my head at least once. ( OK, maybe all afternoon, and might I add thank you to the media for replaying them so often they are burned into my memory forever) My friend , whom I was on the phone with at the time of the call, was also worried. Her son is at the middle school, and her thought was, "great- make the middle school a target too, not that there are twice the kids there".  Parents started criticizing the school right away, some out of fear, lack of control over their child's safety, and some because that is their role in our community.  (didn't say it was right, I said it was their chosen role)

I sent my son a text right away-
 "Are you guys ok?"  
"Yes- we walked to the middle school gym"
"Do I need to come get you?"
"Noicanthavemyhoneoutrightnow."

(translation- "No, I can't have my phone out right now.")
Good to know

Whew- somehow even a text hearing from one of my boys made me feel better. At 2:30, another call came, letting parents know the kids still could not return to the school for their things, they would need to make other arrangements to get home, even if they drove their own car because the bomb squad had been dispatched to sweep the school, parking lot and surrounding area. 

Sha-zamm. There goes my calm,right out the window. Since school gets out at 3:00, I loaded myself into the truck and went to get my boys. No sense in them sitting in the gym doing nothing for another thirty minutes.  The school was cleared by 4:00 and we went to pick up everything they had left behind. (as a side note a shout out to the ladies and gentlemen in the middle school office dealing with all us crazy worried parents they did an awesome job!)

On the ride home, neither boy showed any real concern for the days events. It was a message in the girls bathroom. They just didn't see the reason for panic. They agreed the school did everything right to keep them safe, and they aren't worried about returning today. I think that was the general consensus of the kids. They were more aggravated at the interruption in schedule than the remote possibility that someone at their school built any type of device to hurt anyone at their school. 

The scary truth in this situation is, no matter how good of a parent you are, you cannot protect them from it all. They know by the time they are in high school the difference between right and wrong. They know other people may try to make life hard on them. They know about sex, bullying, drugs and driving. They know how to say no, how to call their mom and when to step in to protect one another. They are what I like to call pseudo-adults. I like this word because it aggravates them (hehe) and it gives them credit for the growing up they are doing, while keeping them in the confines of being able to lean on their momma and dad. 

I also during this entire situation had to keep reminding myself that my children are children of God first. They were his first, and most importantly. If for some crazy reason they are torn from this world, it would devastate me. But, I know my Father will take care of my children better than I ever could, because He is my everything, and He is capable. So if I should ever get this call again, I know I will react in my very helpless human way- but I will always know that God has my back in every situation, and that is my only true source of comfort. 

Praying today for the school, students, staff, administration and authorities that everyone is safe and not so on edge today...