Amy has posted this story on her blog, but I keep getting people asking me about what happened, so here goes the behind the scenes story. If you have already heard this please feel free to skip over this post.
It was really hot one day last week and I did not want to be at home. I was feeling pretty bad for Max (my dog) because he had to hang out in the heat all day, so the kids and I took Max for a walk up to Adventure Learning Park (The one behind Lone Peak High School). There is a pond there and we thought it would be fun to let him go swimming. The walk is long but nothing we couldn't handle. I packed snacks and waters for me, the kids and Max and we left about 12:30pm.
On the way up there, there was this really nice lady who gave us popsicles and refilled our water bottles, and let Max sit in a pool of water and relax. We also stopped and ran through sprinklers and let Max play in the irrigation ditches, we were actually having a really good time. We made it to Adventure Learning Park and let Max play till he was worn out. (when he gets worn out it is really cute, because he will take the stick that we throw in the water to him and he will hide it somewhere in the bushes, so we can't throw it anymore. If we find it and throw it back in the water to him, he can't resist going after it, so he has decided that hiding it is his best option. What a silly dog).
I promised the kids that we could stop at a park on the way home. There is a park by the Highland City building and we stopped there and played for a little while. To avoid the busy Alpine Hwy, I decided to take the back roads home, but I walked to far the one way and everytime I turned down a street it was a dead end. So it took me a while before I found my way back to 1st east. It was about 3:00pm when I called Ryan and told him that I probably over did it this time. My legs were feeling numb and tingly, but that I would be okay and I was sure I would make it home before he did. We continued to walk for a while and then I thought it might not be a bad idea to stop and rest and make sure that the baby was doing okay. So we stopped at another park and I laid down on the grass and waited for the baby to kick (which didn't take long. Apparently, he wanted to keep walking, he was having a great time.)
I looked up and found that Max was looking for his snacks in the stroller, so I stood up to get him something and when I did my legs were hurting from the long walk (I am sure being 7 months pregnant, played a factor in the pain I was feeling too.) So I called Ryan and just for the record this is how the conversation went.......
Me: What time do you think you will be coming home?
Ryan: About 5:30pm
Me: Well it is about 5:00pm know, so do you think you could come and get us on your way home?
Ryan: I will be right there.
Me: I am at the park behind the AF Jr High and to the West of Legacy Elementary
Ryan: I am on my way.
Me: You don't have to come right away, the kids can play.........
His phone dies.
I assume he got all the vital info, so I returned a phone call to my mom. we got to talking and just when I was about to tell her about my day and where I was my phone died.
We sat at the park and played for a while and then all three kids decided they needed to go to the bathroom. Then all three kids decided they were hungry, then all three kids decided they were hot.
I made up a game. "I say that 10 cars will pass and then Dad will be here. Kids how many cars do you think will pass before dad gets here?" We played that game a couple times and after an hour and a half and thirty cars later we decided he must have gotten held up at work and we started to walk the rest of the way home. We stopped and played in the sprinklers every chance we got. We were actually having a lot of fun.
When we walked out of the cemetary, there was a guy fixing the road and he started coming straight up the road in his roller machine thingy and he was coming straight for us. I was thinking, "what in the world it this guy doing." He motioned for me to wait a minute, but in my mind I was thinking, "This guy is out of his mind." So I crossed the road. He crossed the road and parked next to where I was walking on the side walk and jumped out of the machine, he was on his cell phone with someone and then he looked at me and said, "there is a guy looking all over for you." I said, as if it was no big deal, "tell him we got sick of waiting for him, the kids got hungry, so we started to walk home." The guy looked at me kind of funny and repeated the reply to Ryan, then he looked at me and said, but you are okay, right? I said, yea I am fine. Then I looked across the field to my house and saw a few of my neighbors running toward me and a bunch standing around my house. Then I looked back at him and he said, "he has called the police and the hospital looking for you." By know I was in shock, I think. I just started walking to my house thinking how in the world did this get so out of hand. My neighbor said that Ryan was in a complete panic state and was looking all over the place for me. One of my best friend's, Cortney, was crying and wondering what could have happened to me and My parents were looking everywhere. All I could say was, "Oh my Gosh, I just went on a walk." By now it was 6:30pm, so it was a very long walk, but still. Ryan knew where I was, I told him on the phone. What in the world.
When I got home my parents pulled up and for the first time since High School. I felt like I was in so much trouble. My Dad gave me that look he used to when I would come home late on a weekend. I just ducked my head and walked over to the truck. I told them I just went on a walk. They told me I had better call my sister, Amy. Who I think cracked me up the very most. She was a mess. She was going to get a plane ticket from Idaho to here, so she could join the search party. I never laughed so hard. Sorry Amy, but I still think its funny. Later I listened to my cell phone messages and she was crying and telling me that even though my phone is dead and I can't call anybody, to please call someone. How cute is that. I love you Amy. And I am so glad to know that you love me too. My parents had also called Ernie and Anita (Ernie gave me the third degree later). Man, I have a lot of father figures in my life, including Ryan, who I swear thought of everything when it comes to arranging a search party. I am glad to know that he doesn't want to live without me. I love you to0, Ryan. And I am very happy you hadn't decided to call the 10:00 news crew. Although I am sure it would have popped into your mind if I wouldn't have shown up when I did.
Cortney also yelled at me, she told me next time I was feeling sorry for Max, I needed to spray him off with the hose and then take a walk around the block. Thanks for the advice. Ryan did ground me from long walks until the baby is born. I am happy to report that now my walks are down to 1 1/2 to 2 hours long.
I thought about it for a while and got a lot of information from others about the state of panic Ryan was in and I figured out that when I called Ryan for help he took it that something must really be wrong, because it is not very often that I ask for help. So all he could think was that my legs were feeling numb, I was pregnant and I called for help. I am pretty sure he didn't think of any other detail at that moment other than.. "I will be right there". And when he got in the AF, Highland area and called to find out exactly were I was and my phone was dead, I am sure that is when he began to panic.
What I have learned:
1. Never to leave on a walk without my cell phone being charged. (and if it is not charged it is better to just leave it at home.)
2. I have a lot of great friends and family, who love me and my kids so much and I am so grateful for them.
3. Ryan loves me a lot more than I thought he did. Not that I didn't know that he loved me, but geez, Ryan the police... and the hospital....I love you so much too. Thank you for always thinking of everything, even though in this case it wasn't necessary. It is nice to know I married a man who is always prepared for anything and everything.
Adam on the tube with the kids. They had a lot of fun as long as the boat went really slow. Towards the end of the day, they went again, but the front was heavy and as the boat started to go the tube went under and the kids went overboard. After that we had a hard time getting them to go again, but they sure had fun while it lasted.
Adam and Ryan. Amy tried to knock them off the tube. It was funny, they were holding on so tight all you could see were their legs flapping in the wind.
Ryan tring a little wakeboard action.
This is Adam. He can do flips and all sorts of funky jumps on the wakeboard. Here are a few pics of his tricks.
Oops, I took this one to late. When I saw it I had to laugh though. Don't be mad at me, Amy. You still look good, even falling.
Bridger enjoying the ride.
This is Amy and Adam's little cutie. Isn't she adorable?
