Panic Attack

My toddler taught me a very important lesson today.

It seems like the older my sweetheart gets the less cautious I become. Now, I use the term, less, very loosely because I am a very cautious person. Maybe I should have said I have graduated from being extremely overprotectively cautious to mildly overprotectively cautious.

Anyway you look at it, I can't believe this happened to me.

I was going about my business as normal. I was taking a load of clothes out of the washer putting them into the dryer. My little stinker bug was playing at my feet as normal going back and forth between the laundry room and kitchen (which are connected with a door). Before I knew it Ruthie Jane had closed the door on me (which she never does). I wasn't too concerned because I was almost finished and I could hear/see her through the vent on the bottom of the door that she was standing at the door. As I closed the lid to the dryer, turned to exit, I couldn't open the door. My little one LOCKED ME in the laundry room.

To say the least....
I PANICKED.

I sat by the vent for a few seconds trying to coach her through unlocking the door. As I could see this wasn't going to work a billion and five things were flying through my mind.

I could get the Preacher Mans power tools and take the vent off the door and climb through.
I could find something to break the door knob and push my way through.

I could give my best SWAT kick and try to knock the door down.

And, then a lightbulb came on...

The laundry room has a door that also goes to the outside. I could just go out it and go around to the front door. Genius!I explained to Ruthie Jane what my plan was and out the door I ran. As I approached the front door, I thought to myself, it's locked. I turned the knob, and it was...So, I ran back inside to see how RJ was doing. By this time she was crying, but still by the door, which I felt was a good thing. Then I told her I was going to have to run across to the church to get daddy's keys. I explained I would be right back and I needed her to stay by the door and wait.

I didn't have any shoes on.

It had been raining.

I did have socks on.
It was in the 30's, the coldest it's been this year...

I ran faster than I have ever ran before. I busted through the church door, said "Preacher Manwhere'syourkeysRuthielockedmeoutofthehouse." Grabbed them and took off. I seriously think if I would have timed myself it would have only been about 30 seconds, I was fast. I ran to the front door, still could hear my baby girl crying, unlocked it and scooped her up in my arms. I have never felt relief like I felt today.

I prayed the entire time I was thinking, running, talking, unlocking....I prayed, prayed, prayed. I prayed for wisdom, for safety, for comfort, for help. I am so thankful I can take anything to my Lord. I am so thankful that when I feel helpless He was there. I am so thankful this did not happen on a day Preacher Man was out of town. I am thankful my feet didn't freeze off. Today I am just thankful!

After it was all said and done I decided to snap a few pictures to remember the occasion (as if I would forget...)

Ruthie Jane showing me how she locked the door.

My filfthy socks after running through the mud.

Lesson learned.


Ruthie please don't ever do this to mommy again.
Thanks.