Four-Wheelin'

On Sunday Josh took Aaron four-wheelin' in a Jeep with Josh's friend, Tim, from work, and Tim's 8-year-old autistic son, Jason. They left at 10am. I said, "I have fire training at 2:00, but I can be late."

At 2:00, I was ready to walk out the door, but I wasn't worried.

At 3:00, I was thinking, "Anytime now, they'll be back."

At 4:00, I started researching the trail they did. Hmmm... it was only a three mile trail. What on earth was taking so long?

At 5:00, I called my friend Marie, "I think I'm starting to panic. They did not take anything with them for dinner, and Aaron doesn't have a jacket - it's getting cold and it'll be dark soon!" Marie offerred to drive me in her pickup truck to look for them. I said, "Let me feed Hayden and Ryan first."

By 5:30, I was feeding the kids, and crying. I was worried something happened. I was worried that the Jeep broke down. I was worried that they were having to hike out with an autistic kid. I was worried that they were hurt. I was worried that they were freezing cold. And I was mad at Josh. And I was thinking that they BETTER be hurt, or Josh was going to wish they were.

At 5:45, they pulled up happy, laughing, having finished a fun day. I was eating dinner at the table, crying over my cannoli's, and Josh actually invited Tim and Jason in!

It was some time before I could get over the sad, scared feeling of something happening to my baby, and some time before I could forgive Josh for actually GOING OUT TO DINNER without calling to check in, when he was even in cell phone range, and I left him messages, while I was home looking out the window, crying, for over an hour.

He was so busted.

But they had a super great time. Aaron loved riding the Jeep through ponds and over huge rocks, and Josh loved getting out of the house to hang out with a buddy.