Sunday adventure

This past Sunday I went to church without half of my family. Mike stayed home with the babies because they both have noses that are running faster than our water facets. After Sacrament meeting I came home to swap him out so that he could teach his lesson. Our babies love to play in the car. So, I left the Sequoia running with the air blasting and two babies playing while I turned to wave goodbye to my husband.
When I turned back around the doors were locked.
Logan, playing with the buttons, had locked them inside the car. Obviously, I had no keys to unlock the door. Logan was clueless when I told him to unlock the door. He just smiled and said, “K.” and then turned back to what he was doing. Emma Grace was no help. I knocked on the window to get her attention and then pleaded with her to open the door. Her response was, “Don’t do that Mommy. No, No, No.”
To say that I was upset is an understatement. I ran inside to check for a spare key. No good. Called Mike’s Cell. On the counter in the kitchen. Tried to think of a solution. Chuck and Jen were at the lake. No other neighbors around. I kept telling myself that it was fine, the air conditioning was on, they weren’t going to suffocate. If they put the car in gear I would bust the back window and save the day.
I didn’t start to REALLY panic until Emma Grace found the permanent markers that the big girls use to decorate themselves for their swim meets. It was at this point that my blood pressure rose to unsafe levels and the tears began to flow. Now I have to pause here in the story to say that they did find a notebook and they TRIED to color in it. Try as they may they’re still babies. Caps didn’t get put back on, every attempt at paper did not succeed, and gestures during conversation are permanently recorded on the beautiful gray leather in my SUV.
I was helpless. One last attempt for help. I texted everyone I could think of at church hoping that someone had their cell phone on. One of my young women, who is also in Mike’s class, received my SOS. I assured her in the message that she wouldn’t get in trouble, but to please send my husband home NOW!
Waiting for help I sat there and watched as my babies had a party in the car. I had the thought come to me that this must be how our Heavenly Father sometimes feels. A loving parent places His children in a safe comfortable environment, the kids out of ignorance lock Him out, He has to stand by and watch as his beloved children graffiti all over their lives making a permanent mess. He stands there hoping that His kids will open the door and let Him in. If not a door at least crack the window, which is exactly what happened in my version of the story. Emma Grace cracked a window. I think I scared her half to death when I yelled at her not to move or touch anything. I put my arm through the window and unlocked the door. Both babies were bewildered by my reactions. Emma Grace asked why I was hugging her so tight. Why was I crying? Why were you scared Mommy? Logan just let me hug him and rubbed my back. That boy knows how to snuggle. I think my reaction to the open window would be very much like our Father in Heavens reaction to a cracked window. Thank heaven for repentance to help us clean up the messes we make in our lives.
Now, if anyone knows the trick to cleaning Sharpee off of leather I would sure appreciate it.