The Death of Me

Heidi went missing yesterday.
She took her regular habit of wandering off at Target (they know her by name there) and broadened the field to the entire town of Livingston (and/or beyond...yikes!).

Here is how I described the experience to a friend today in an email:


"It was such a crazy experience. I have to say I was totally comforted through the whole thing because we prayed before I went out to look for her. Every time fear or anger would well up, I could totally feel/hear the Spirit telling me she was okay, but that was definitely a stretch of my faith!

She rode her regular bus with James from Winans to Eastside (although that bus driver told us she never got on, which misdirected our search for a while), but instead of waiting for Addie to get on and riding home as usual, she jumped off with a friend from her class and then got on her friend's bus and rode out to Green Acres and told the mom that she had permission to play at their house until 7pm but then she (the mom) had to drive her home and that I wasn't home so she couldn't call me! (----WHAT!?!----)

Meanwhile, on my end, when she didn't turn up at home with James and Addie at 3:50, I called the insurance office because that's where she is supposed to go if she misses her bus. Rich was out at the ranch, but Robyn was working and hadn't seen her. So then I called the principals at Eastside and Winans and they started searching the buildings and grounds for her. Her teacher was just leaving when I called, so she offered to go over to Eastside and check the playgrounds because she was pretty sure Heidi got on the bus at Winans. Jim Huntizicker called the bus barn and had George ask all the bus drivers if they had seen her. I headed out in my van and started checking around Winans and the drive between the schools and then around Eastside. By then it was 4:40, no sign of her, so I just pulled over to the Police Station and reported her missing. I gave a description and two officers went out--one to look for her, one to interrogate the bus drivers--and the fire dept, sheriff, and highway patrol were given her description as I sat there. Rich was on his way in from the ranch and Kim Strupp (who had been at my house to pick up Jason, whom I was babysitting, when Heidi turned up missing) was cruising the neighborhood looking for her, too.

I remembered she had some allowance money in her backpack, so when I left the police station, I checked Washington School then headed to Town & Country and Pamida to see if she went shopping. While I was driving between the stores, the police called me and said they found her and they would bring her home and I should meet them there.

So the officer who interrogated the bus drivers gave her description and asked if any of them had extra kids on their buses that afternoon and one finally piped up and said Heidi had been on her bus with this certain friend, the bus driver knew her name. So they looked her up, went to the house, and brought her home.

I sent her to her room and finished making dinner, then went and had a long talk with her and grounded her. She took it surprisingly well and I am really proud of how humbled and helpful she has been today. We spent the morning writing "I'm sorry/ Thanks for looking for me" notes to about 10 people and we will deliver them on Monday. Hopefully her little ride in the police cruiser was memorable and this won't be repeated. As for me, I made it through the evening, but then about 9:30 when everyone was asleep, I just started bawling uncontrollably...delayed reaction...tears of relief, I guess. But we survived!!!!"

Heidi at lunch today. She's been FUN since day one (remember THIS or THIS or THIS?)

James and Addie at lunch today with Halloween decor in the background.