A moment of utter terror

Have you ever had one of those moments with your kids, where you are in utter terror because you don't know where they are???

My 17 year old daughter walks the 1 mile to school every single day. Today I got a call from school saying she had been marked absent for 3 blocks.  The message was at 11:45 and I wasn't able to get to it until 12:45 after my bus routes.  I had last talked to Liz at 6:30 am.  She was in fact at school, she was selling tickets for a play, her first hour teacher didn't change the computer from absent to present after she came in late with a pass.  She helps in the DEANS office 2nd block & they too marked her absent.  Then third block she went late to class again because a student didn't show up to help with the ticket sales, she had pass that time too.  Finally they called me, I freaked out!  My child never, ever is absent let alone skips school.  I called the school back and demanded to know where she was, they said she is marked absent for three blocks, so that means she's not at school, so I said then something bad happened to her on the way to school because she is not at home.  Fortunately I work right behind the high school and was able to go directly there and told them to search for her.  By this time I was freaking out.   It was passing period but thank God the Dean located her in gym class and I saw my precious daughter face to face and got to hug her tight.  I am so relieved but very upset at the school for such irresponsible behavior.  My kid is fine, but me, I am not so sure how fine I will be for a while.  God is an awesome God, but His people I am not so sure.  I feel like the acts of the few punish the good.  The school was so ready to tell me my always responsible child had skipped school....period.  She wasn't there and they were in the clear.  The are so lucky they have a sympathetic security person, because my first call was going to be to the police. 

It's times like this that life puts things back into prespective.  It reminds you of what's important.  Not things but people, family...especially family.

My son Eric actually called me last night and we had a nice talk.  My stepson Dale is in trouble again, and hopefully he will finally take us up on the offer to come live here and we will guide him back to school and a sober life.  Who knows, one day at a time...it'll work out.

Love you guys and thanks for listening I can breath again!!