Again, we schlepped over to the Tempe Historical Museum for their "Voyage to Mars" day. It was fun, a few activities were for older kids, but Ian really enjoyed the robotic arm and the crafts. The robotic arm had a remote control with several buttons to move different parts of the arm. Initially, I scoped out the buttons and showed Ian how they worked. With some coaching (but no actual hands on help from me), Ian picked up a little puff ball with the gripper, moved it and put it down. He really enjoyed that, so much that he cried leaving the museum because he wanted to keep using the arm.
I needed a robotic arm too. Ian was at a display pounding on buttons and we decided to walk on to the next room. I told Ian we were walking and for some reason, I thought he was walking alongside of me. When we got into the next room, I looked down and he wasn't there or anywhere close by me. The panic that set in my heart in that second was awful. My friend Jennifer went in one direction and I went back to the first room. There he was, a few steps away from the button display, crying his heart out. "Mommy, you lost me!"
Honestly, I hugged him and carried him into the next room and we talked about walking together and being lost and how it's scary for both of us. He felt better once he saw some fun things to do. I was calm on the outside and kicking myself on the inside. All those stories of kids being taken in seconds filled my thoughts in that one second of realizing he wasn't with me. Of course he is fine but you cannot be too careful.
Today in Phoenix, a 17 year-old girl was brutally killed by two 16 year-old friends in her home while her parents were not there. It is all over the news here and it is shocking and heartbreaking. Last night and today listening to this news and hearing the outcome has been eye-opening. How different life feels now from when I was home alone as a teenager. How we have to be vigilant in each part of our children's lives to keep them safe and alive. So while I was considering what the heck I will do when my boys are teenagers and hearing all the other parents weigh in, this little missing toddler moment seemed to impact me even more than it might have on another day.
To bring things back up to happy, I interviewed for an internship with the arts commission this afternoon. They would like me aboard, whatever hours I want to work. It is unpaid, so I talked to them about this and since the bulk of the work is research, they will work out a way for me to do work from home. However, I would still need to go in to the office for a bit too. Many of the interns go on from there to paying jobs in arts organizations or with the commission. There is a person leaving, who they are not replacing right away, but it is possible it will open up. So, I am hopeful to maybe make more connections in this field.
On to resting for a bit before the boys wake from naps.
4 comments:
Oh, that's horrible. So sad what our world has come to. My 17 yo never understands why I worry so much.
Poor little guy must have been so scared! And you too. I'm sure he'll be more cautious in the future.
Oh how scary. I panic when my kids are out of my sight. Ny 12 year old doesn't appreciate this & thinks he can defend himself. The story about the 17 year old proves that we are never really safe.
Glad he was safe. I'm like Michelle, even though my kids are older now (11 and 13) I still freak out if I lose them in a store.
I freak out when I can't find one of the cats, even though I know they must be somewhere in the house. I can't imagine losing a kid. Jeez.
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