long week

hubby's been sick and sick men are ... almost worse than the kids. we were supposed to go camping, but it rained. more than one person cried/whined about that, and none of them were me.

I've been fairly grumpy with it all ...

And this afternoon, even though hubby was sick, he wanted to go to his friends' house with all of us and play games. So we did, but wow ... he just isn't feeling well. I told him we could cancel and do it another time, but nooooooooo ... if the games *he* wants to play are involved, he does whatever it takes. lol.

So while we were there, my ultra-anxious, uber-nervous 9-year-old disappeared.

This is the kid who asks permission to use the bathroom. In our house. Or get a drink. In our house. Or any number of things she really doesn't need permission for. In our house. She asks before she plays jump rope in our driveway or goes across the street to the park.

Color me frantic. I went through the house, the front and back yards, calling her name repeatedly. Tried *twice* to get hubby's attention for some help, and the next time I yelled, "*hubby*!! I cannot find our daughter. I could use some assistance. NOW."

Hubby and the friend's wife started going to the neighbors to the south because the friends' kids had been playing there all day. But I hadn't seen her when I looked there.

I was panicking, thinking I'd need to call the police immediately. She was gone about 10 minutes. I went back in the front yard and started looking again. She came around the corner from the neighbors to the NORTH and said, "why is everyone calling my name?"

Hugs and frustration with the kid. "Where were you?" Over there (she pointed). "Did you ask or tell anyone where you were going?" " ... no." "I thought someone stole you!" I cried and cried and am still teary about it. She still didn't get quite why I was so freaked, but she realized she shouldn't have gone without permission.

She came in the house and the friends' baby twins woke up about 5 minutes later, so she spent the rest of the time we were there holding the babies, then her brother.

Man, I love that kid. But if she ever gives me a panic attack like that again, she's grounded for life.