Three cheers for Home Depot...

It had been a long and trying day.

Though it was a sunny, (all be it cold) beautiful day, 

I had spent my day inside cleaning, cooking, cleaning.

I hadn't sat down for more than a minute since I woke-up that morning.

The kids were rowdy with pent up energy, and I needed a moment to sit down, 

and have my kids sitting down as well.

There was only one thing to do.

Go somewhere.

I needed sandpaper, so I had an excuse to go to Home Depot.

The drive was wonderful.

Just as I got on the free way, a police cruiser pulled in front of us
stopping all lanes of traffic.

He swerved back and forth, back and forth across the three lanes until he was
 sure no one was going to try to go around him.

We crawled at maybe 20mph.

I could have been annoyed and irritated, but I was not.

This police cruiser had just extended the length of time
that I had to relax and stay seated in my car.

Plus the kids were entertained.

We did eventually make it to Home Depot.

Unscathed.

I was rested and ready to tackle bringing all three of my children into Home Depot.

I would have preferred to leave them in the car while I ran in really quick, but that is socially unacceptable and I probably would have ended up in jail, with fines, etc, etc...

So in we all went.

Led by Lyon who raced unhaltingly across the parking lot,
despite my plees for him to, 

"Wait!  Come here!!  Hold my hand!!!"

We got a cart and Fenix refused to sit in the seat provided.

No she wanted to sit in the basket.

I'd have to watch her really close to make sure she didn't stand up.

Probably safer than the seat anyway, she always manages to squirm out of the belt
and stand up where there is nothing but me to keep her from falling....

Bear was the only one who wanted to sit in the carts seat.

My 40 lb kindergartener, who is much too big to fit.

He ended up walking beside me, while Lyon hung off the side of the cart,
 and Fenix sat in the basket.

Really it would have been safer for them to wait in the car.

It took me a few minutes to find the right kind of sand paper.

I get shy when it comes to asking the employees who happen to be everywhere.

Just the same, I found what I needed and went to check out.

As we past some of the closed check out stands 

Lyon spotted some impulse buy, cartoon character flashlights.

I was at the end of my patience, I told him to come on, he wouldn't.

I didn't have the strength to fight him and lift him into the basket, 

plus in the scuffle I didn't want him to end up kicking Fenix.

So because the register was right there just a few feet from where he was I said,

"Fine, I am going to buy this stuff, I'll be right over here."

There was no line, I walked up to the register, the employee rang up my items 

(sandpaper, which Bear kept calling toilet paper).

In that minute and a half of making my purchase, Lyon disappeared.

This happens nearly everywhere I go with him (see yesterdays post).

It was no surprise, though I internally scolded myself for thinking that
this particular child would stay put when history had taught me other wise. 

I walked a few yards in each direction trying to find him.

I saw two Home Depot employees standing not far from where Lyon had been 

and asked if they had seen a little boy in a green coat.

They hadn't, but instead of saying sorry and ignoring me they jumped into action.

One employee, a woman, though she looked pretty young so I want to call her a girl,
but I will call her a woman because she told me she has a four year old
and losing him causes her all kind of panic, she was impressed at my calm demeanor.
That is what I exhibit on the outside
while I internally am screaming and bawling in fear and panic.
 I do so only internally because I know 

that  sort of action will do nothing to find my son.

So the woman told me she would go and stand by one of the entrances
to be sure he didn't go out that way, by himself or horrifyingly with a kidnapper.

The other employee led me to the service desk where they sent out a silent alarm
to all employees to keep their eyes open for my little three year old son,
with a green coat and blonde hair.

At least that is what I assume they did because...

It took less than a few seconds before one of the employees there said
they thought they had found him.

He was back in the kitchen display area.

The employee I was with ran ahead to check and see if it was him,
while I calmly but quickly followed him as I pushed my cart with Bear and Fenix.

As I approached the kitchen appliances
I saw three Home Depot employees standing at the end of an aile of refrigerators.
Three guys on one end and one guy on the other.

They had Lyon "cornered" so to speak.

I crept around the corner and there stood my lost treasure.

With a determined scowl on his face.  

He stood there with a small pack of skittles.  

The Home Depot employees dispersed as I thanked them profusely.

I put Lyon in the basket of my cart
and walked determined to leave the store without further dilemma.

On my way I took the pack of skittles
and tossed them up on a display of decorative mirrors.

(Sorry for that Home Depot, I would have put them back where they went,
but the catastrophe that might  have cause,
showing my kids all the candy, well it wasn't worth the risk.)

I marched straight out of the store and loaded my kids as quickly as possible.

Only taking a relaxing breath of relief when yet another
helpful Home Depot employee 
kindly took my now empty cart
so I wouldn't have to walk across the parking lot to put it with the others.

So in short I just want to say to Home Depot, 

Thank you for taking my missing child seriously and acting quickly and efficiently!

Thank you for actually looking for and finding him quickly and efficiently!

Thank you for not announcing over the loud speaker, 

information that would have probably been left unheard and/or ignored!

Thank you for finding my son in a store that is so large
with so many nooks and crannies that alone
it would have taken me weeks to find the little guy!

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

:D

Such skills, such strength, such superior effort working together:

THAT'S THE POWER OF THE HOME DEPOT!