FW:

 A friend of mine sent this email to me today.  Normally I don’t open any email with “FW:” in the subject line but I opened this one. Now, here is the fun stuff, this email has these instructions: ‘This should probably be taped to your bathroom mirror where one could read it every day.”
My favorite is #3, but #8 is cause for some philosophical discussion because the email also claims:             
“You may not realize it, but it’s 100% true.”  
You decide: 

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.

2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.

3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.

4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don’t like you.

5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.

6. You mean the world to someone.

7. You are special and unique.

8. Someone that you don’t even know exists loves you.

9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.

10 When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look.

11 Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

Good friends are like stars……..
You don’t always see them,
But you know they are always there. 

And always remember….
when life hands you Lemons,
ask for Tequila and Salt and call me over!

Missing: One 5 year old boy

I had a bit of heart failure yesterday afternoon.   I went out to meet the school bus a little early, just in case the bus was running ahead of schedule.  There are only 5 stops on the route so this is a possibility, even for the first day of school.  

I stood under the neighbor’s willow tree in an attempt to escape the sun in our 112 degree heat and my neighbor joined me as we anxiously waited to greet our new kindergarteners.   This was her first child to go to school, and Kenny is my last, but we were both just as excited to see our little ones again and readied our cameras to capture their first steps coming home from their new adventure.

The bus came around the corner right on schedule and stopped about 20 feet past the usual stop.  The big kids managed to get off first and KK came running up to me in a panic, “Kenny isn’t on the bus!  He got off at another stop!”  She didn’t see him get off, one of the other kids told her after they pulled away. I saw the driver poke his head out the door, then go back inside.  I thought he was waiting for me to tell me what happened but he closed the door and had just put the bus into drive as I got to the front of the bus.  I pounded on the door, “Where is Kenny?!?!” 

The driver opened up the door and seemed to have no clue to what I was asking. I became irate with what appeared to be a lack of concern as he patiently listened to my inquiry. The other kids on the bus knew who I was talking about and made it appear that the driver already had been told that Kenny got off at the wrong place. 

The kids told me Kenny got off at the first stop, he was sitting in the front seat, the bus stopped and he got off.  The first stop is on a busy road outside of our neighborhood with a speed limit of 45mph that is never obeyed. By now I was in a panic.  The driver made an excuse about not having a roster, its the first day, he thought the kids knew where to get off…I couldn’t believe my ears. He is 5 years old! He is wearing a name tag with his bus# and drop info on it, the one the school requires every kindergartener to wear.  How could he lose my kid?!

I took KK and ran the 100 yards to our house, I was trying to decide what to do..should I keep running to the other bus stop? Should I run in the house and get my car keys? Would he be trying to walk home? Or would he just stand there and wait for me? 

The picture of my baby standing all alone on a busy road a mile from home was flashing in my head when I saw a pickup truck slowly coming down my street.  I waved at the truck, I was hoping it was someone looking for house numbers…“please have Kenny!” I thought to myself.

As the truck came closer I could only see one person in the cab, when the driver pulled over I looked in and there he was!  I could just see the top of his blonde little head peeking out from the window. I was so relieved I just began to bawl. I was a blubbering idiot as I opened the door and grabbed my little boy.  I must have said “Thank you” a thousand times. I never got the name of the woman that brought him home but I remember what she told me, “You live in a wonderful neighborhood, we look out for each other here.”  

I am not worried about losing Kenny again, KK has strict instructions to sit next to him this afternoon, but if he manages to get himself off at the wrong stop I know he will be OK.