The Full Story

I couldn't leave it like that.

Every day I've been frantically cobbling together an array of care plans for G.  It's quite involved.  For today, I lined up "the homeschool girls." 

Side note: The "girls" are actually in their young 20's and not in school.  Their father doesn't like for a daughter to travel alone, so they only go out if a sibling is available to accompany them.  Very nice, responsible "girls."

For some unknown reason, G's bus service was canceled.  No one can tell me why that happened, but they do know that it takes 5 days to "reinstate" service.  I gave them a detailed plan of where G was to go.

I've been using (more) vacation time to leave work, pick G up from school, and drop him off at my house with the babysitter du jour.

That was getting old so the girls agreed to pick G up for me. 
   I would pay them extra. 
   I ensured they had a car seat. 
   I printed directions for them. 
   I made sure to email the school so they could release G to the girls.
   In the morning, I personally confirmed with G's teacher a description of the girls.

I dropped G off.

I was at work, leading a meeting.  That's what I do.  Suddenly, a face popped in the door, "Heidi, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but someone is on the phone.  Apparently, someone took G and he's at the wrong house...."

THE BUS COMPANY DECIDED TO START SERVICE EARLY.

The girls weren't there yet, so THE TEACHER PUT G ON THE BUS VAN.

THE VAN DRIVER STARTED GOING TOWARD THE NEW BABYSITTER'S HOUSE.

As the homeschool girls were pulling into G's school, one looked up at a passing van and said "I think that was G!"  She wasn't positive, but decided to follow the van.  Later, she told me, "I was just praying & asking God for wisdom."  Of course, she doesn't have my work number in her phone.

The girls gave chase until the van caught a stop light.  Then one girl got out of the car, and approached the driver: "Do you have G on the van?  Yes?  We're supposed to be watching him today."

Of course, the driver wouldn't give him to them.

They followed the van to its destination - as I've mentioned - the new babysitter's house. 

That would be "the new babysitter" as in, "the babysitter who I've only met once" or "the babysitter who doesn't even have my contact info yet" or "the babysitter who is probably going to quit because she's afraid of the freak-weirdishness she's gotten herself into."

The van driver and the home school girls knock on the babysitter's door.  She's a little unsettled.... understandably, right?

It's decided that the driver will release G to the babysitter, and she will (happily) release G to the girls.  This is the point where they're finally able to get me on the phone.  Sheesh.

But there's more.

Soon after arriving at my home, the girls call me again.  G has retreated under a table and is screaming.  Melt down.  You think the recent flux has maybe been a tad stressful for him?  They put him on the phone.  He's crying, "Mama, I want ch-YOU!"

After that call, I'm back on the phone... with the school.  I've explained the happenings.  The school lady says, "Well, it's so hard for the bus company at the beginning of the year.  All the drivers are new.  The routes are new.  There are so many changes.  It's really hard for them.  I mean, did you want me to call them?  It's just that they have so much going on."

YES I WANT YOU TO CALL THEM!

Is it just me, or do you also think it's kind of important for a bus company to manage to bus every child to the correct home?  Especially when the child is four years old?  You think?

Tonight, G was very clingy.  And asking about Mr. Jim.  And into bed early.

The adventure goes on.