In our family...

In our family....we do second chances...we do grace...we do real...we do mistakes...we do I'm sorry (and I forgive you)...we do loud really well...we do hugs...we do family...we do love.















Tuesday, November 30, 2010

My Youngest Son

In a little over a week my youngest son will begin his journey home. Yes, I am happy that he will be closer…at least he will be for awhile. I will enjoy those things I’ve missed about him…his laughter, seeing him smile, hugging him and watching and hearing him tease & play with the little’s…and hearing him say, “Oh Mother…”even though I’ve heard these words over the phone numerous times these past few years, there is something about hearing them when he is standing before me.

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This child of mine…my last born…is the one that challenged me the most and honestly I said time and again that had he been my first, he would have been my last. I do not say this in a bad way…he was just that…my hard child…my strong willed child…he wanted to eat all of the time…he cried the loudest…he tested me…over and over again, all in the same day…he climbed out of his crib at a very young age which only led to him climbing on the counters and before long, unlatching the gate and running down the street…which led to him figuring out ways to get on top of the roof of the house. I kid not.

He just never stopped unless it was to eat or sleep. Not in a hyper active sort of way…more like a non stop thinking and doing sort of way.

You would think I wasn’t watching him but I was. Like a hawk. I had these other kids and a daycare business which meant other children and of course I needed to use the bathroom on occasion.

When he was 15 months old we attended the local county fair and he was literally stolen out of the wagon he had been sitting in. Some woman snatched him out of the wagon when I had turned my back on him for mere seconds, and then tried to leave with him. It was 15 minutes of the scariest time of my life and had they not acted quickly by shutting down the gates, he would not be here now. Apparently she tried to get out of the gates with him and when they tried questioning her, she put him down on the round and ran.

I have never forgotten the terror I felt that day. I knew deep in my heart that we had been spared one of the worst nightmares of our lives.

All through his growing up years he was a handful. He tested and tried me like none of my other children had. He might have made me cry but he didn’t break me. Let’s just say he did not give up easily but neither did I.

I am not sure when everything changed. It’s like I blinked my eye’s and he came around to being this respectful kind young man.

To give you a glimpse of his character at the age of 17. When my step daughter went into labor he took care of little man so that I could be in the labor room with her. When it got close for little lady to make her entrance into the world, he drove over an hour to the hospital so that he and little man could be there to welcome her into the world. Since they pretty much became ours right from that point, he went to sharing his last year at home with 2 little one’s. He spent a lot of his senior year rocking her and sleeping in the chair with her and playing with little man to help us out. He did a lot of the things a father would do and yet he took no credit.

This was a common sight for him to be holding one of these two…

 

 

Fast forward to 3 years ago. It was his senior year of high school and it was the evening of his high school Christmas concert. He left early to go pick up his girlfriend while we were still home getting the little’s ready to go. I was almost ready to go when the phone rang. My husband came to me and I knew instantly something was wrong. It was my husbands brother on the phone saying that my son was in an accident.

Apparently a relative of his had been driving and almost hit my son, who was standing in the road. He was bleeding and could barely walk. She put my son in her car immediately because it was really cold outside. She called for an ambulance and while they waited she asked him who he was but he didn’t know. She knew what town he was from because he had a lettermen's jacket on. She asked him if he had his license and he gave it to her. When she seen the name she called her aunt who is married to my brother-in-law, and they lived in that same town and asked her if she knew who this was since they lived in our area. It really is a small world. And a miracle that someone found him on this cold dark night.

A short time later, the ambulance driver called me and told me where they were taking him and let me talk to him. After getting to the hospital the ambulance workers came in to see my son and one by one they told us that it was a complete miracle that he was alive. In one man’s words, “Merry Christmas, I think you’ve just received a Christmas miracle.”

They had me come out of his room and they told me what had likely happened. They also told me that to look at the car you would never know that anyone could have lived through that. The road was a road that wasn’t traveled that much and with it being totally pitch black outside, it was a miracle that he not only found the road but that someone found him.

Apparently he had fallen asleep and went over the road and flew into a field. He hit his head which knocked him out. When he woke up he dug himself out and crawled out of the car and then had to crawl in the snow quite a distance to the road. He had no idea where he was, let alone his name.

 A few days later when I seen the car I was not only horrified but I now knew why the ambulance workers had said all that they did. I have no clue to how he survived this accident. All I know is that his life was spared on this cold dark night in early December, 3 years ago. I was once again spared the nightmare of losing my son.

During both of these moments I imagined my life with out him…in those quick seconds all of his life flashed before my eye’s like a movie..I remember with tears in my eye’s, how I could have lost him and how thankful I am that I didn’t. I am forever grateful that I was spared the agony of losing him.

These experiences of almost not having him, make him extraordinary. The person he is, makes him extraordinary because of what he has made of himself. Whether it’s being the young man that stepped it up to play “daddy” at 17 or being the greatest uncle to each of his nieces and nephews, by being a positive role model. He is without a doubt a stand up guy just like his big brother.

 

Do you think the little’s are a little bit crazy about him?

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After he graduated he moved to North Florida to attend college near his Dad. He attended for 2 years and then moved to South Florida to attend a police academy. He has lived with my eldest daughter and her family, and has been working while waiting to start school. Over the past couple of months he has come to realize that he didn’t really like living there and so has plans for attending the police school which is in a nearby town, here in Minnesota.

 

I cannot wait until he moves home. I know that this move home is only a temporary stop until he moves onto his next adventure. I know this because I am the one that gave him his wings and he’s known to be pretty good at flying. I can only hope that his next adventure keeps him a little closer to home.

My son’s life was spared twice and I don’t take that lightly. It still causes me to hug all my children a little tighter and to make sure I say “I love you.” as often as I can….and to be really really thankful for every day I get to be their Mom.

 

Until next time, love & hugs, Lori

19 comments:

Natalie said...

What a wild ride!!!!! I bet you can't wait to hug him to bits. Enjoy! ♥

Colleen said...

Oh my goodness Lori. I can not believe that someone tried to snatch him like that...I can not imagine how terrified you must have been. And the accident too! Your son definitely has had strong angels watching over him, thank God! He sounds like a great son and a good man. It sometimes seems to me like those who are the biggest handful when they are young, the most challenging...that they are so for a reason, their character is being shaped into something strong and unbreakable and true. It definitely sounds like that's the case with him.
Enjoy him being near you!
Love Colleen

Sueann said...

Oh my is right!! First someone tried to steal your child and then he almost died in a car wreck!! God is so good and has guided and protected him thus far. I am sure that will continue as he travels on his path!! What a blessing he is to you and all the family!!!!!
How cool that is will be closer to home.
Hugs
SueAnn

Brian Miller said...

nice. he has beenon quite the journey but i imagine having you there in his life has helped tremendously...

Anonymous said...

What a handsome - and wonderful - young man, Lori! I just loved this post (although it makes me just a wee bit glad my most easy-going child is my youngest! LOL).

Jan

Zella said...

Hello from Finland - I just came across your blog and read your "about me" -- wow, your life has certainly been full of unexpected interruptions. I will be following your blog for sure, have to start reading from the beginning now :) Take care.

Jeannie said...

Sounds like a great kid. Being lucky is a good thing if you're a cop! Good for him.

Busy Bee Suz said...

Oh my goodness...he is a miracle. I think God has BIG plans for this special young man.
You have done a wonderful job raising your children Lori; you should be proud!!!!!!
xoxoxo

Anonymous said...

Two miracles! Just reading about them makes my heart clinch. God must have some incredible plans for his life, to have brought your son so far. I know HE is in the business of changed hearts, and clearly this boy of yours has changed your heart and loved the hearts of the littles.

My 2nd son is a little bit like that. I had to tie him to the shopping cart in the grocery store. He's 18 and still my biggest challenge. He's been challenging me since birth: he held up his head at the age of one day. Stubborn? You bet! Wonderful? That, too.

I Am Woody said...

I'm thinking that boy got a healthy dose of his mama's spunk and loving heart!!

SciFi Dad said...

Such a remarkable story... OK, STORIES.

I'm glad you'll get some time with him before he moves on to his next adventure.

Anonymous said...

Wow! What a rollercoaster ride! Two narrow escapes... and what a great guy he is...

Brittany said...

I love me some Jason :)))

I am so thrilled that he is coming home! He is my VERY best friend! :)

I love our big happy famiy!!!!

Nancy said...

I am never disappointed by visiting your blog. I learn something every time! Your son is a blessing and you are smart enough to see it. Sometimes the busiest and hardest children are the ones that are destined to be wonderful adults. Thanks for sharing your story and I am so glad you will have your son for a few months before he flies away again. A good mother always gives them wings.

Hilary said...

Wings are among the greatest gifts we can give our kids. You have certainly had your share of scares with this child. I'm glad he's coming closer to home.. for now, anyway.

Buckeroomama said...

I love those photos of him with the littles!

I shuddered when I read that someone actually snatched him away in broad daylight! You gotta wonder how sick she must be in the head to do something like that.

SO happy that he'll be back home soon! :)

LPC said...

What a handsome boy. And what a wonderful loving father he will make when the time comes.

NENSA MOON said...

Hi Lori,
What an incredible story of your youngest son...
Love reading the story!

hope you and family have a wonderful day!
hugs,
nensa

Riahli said...

Lori, again tears, these real life stories are intense. What a ride! I have a non stop, always on the go child as well. When he was around 18 months I thought I was going to loose my mind with his escaping and climbing and disappearing acts. When I talk about it to others it sounds like I wasn't watching him well enough, but as you well know some kids just figure out a way to do all these things even under the best of watch! What an amazing young man you have, and what a story! The fear you must have felt at the fair, I can hardly fathom...