This would have never happened with our first child

I had to leave work early today because Aylee had a choir practice that I had agreed to take her to. The plan was that I would arrive at 4:30, pick Aylee up and take her to the practice.

It was all going well. I left work just in time and arrived at the house at 4:29. When I pulled into the drive way I saw Aylee playing with a bunch of friends in the neighbor's front yard. I thought Aylee knew the plan, so I just rolled down my window and told her to get in so that she would get to the practice on time. I kind of hurried her on her way into the van. She hopped in and away we went.

When we got to the church, it was locked and we walked around to find an open door. Finally, we found one on the other side of the church, so I left Aylee there and then returned home.

When I got home, Amber was visiting with Ellen Kosmicki, so I took an opportunity and visited with her also. It was not long after that Ellen had to leave. Amber and I visited about a couple of things and I opened the mail and read over some of the bills and such.

After 20 minutes had gone by, Amber suggested that I go to the Church and wait for it to end so that Aylee wouldn't have to walk home in the dark. I was shutting by bedroom door. I saw Aliece in her room and Johnathan in the living room playing on the computer. As I got my things together to go get Aylee, I asked Amber where Alayna was. Busily working, Amber just stated that Alayna was playing with Aylee. There was a big pause by the both of us after she said that...and then the panic ensued.

"You mean, you didn't see Alayna when you picked up Aylee", spurted out of Amber's mouth. Quickly following, "You mean Alayna was supposed to be with Aylee?!?", were the words out of my both while the two of us rushed out the front door.

We hurried on down the street, looking on both sides of the street and into backyards as we nervously hastened our search. Luckily it was only a few feet from our driveway that we noticed a conglomeration of five, six, and seven year old neighbor kids huddled around a green jogging stroller. I spotted her right away. Alayna was in the jogging stroller with her blanket and baby doll, and all of the neighbor kids were playing with her as if she were their own baby.

When I got there, they all said, "Aylee left Alayna here, so we were taking care of her". I thanked them all profusely and in relief, we both returned home.

I always knew that our parents got more lax with the younger siblings than they had been of us. I guess we are falling slowly into that same pattern.

It always helps to live in a neighborhood with good neighbors....and their seven year old kids!