karma (in reverse?)

Dare I say, we seem to be at the cusp of fall? We can go outside now and actually breathe (we do still have to wait until dark)! I'm not getting my hopes up for continued good weather, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Last night we promised the kids a family walk. Todd got home late, we procrastinated and it was a quarter til 8 before we knew it. Which in mommy terms, is really a quarter til bedtime. Normally, we would postpone our walk and stick to bedtime, but as the kids would say, "a promise is a promise" - so off we went.

Our crew headed out of the house and crossed the street. Right as we hit the corner, Taylor points out a little girl running down the street in her pajamas. We live on a relatively busy street and she was running right for it. I called out for her to stop, which only quickened her pace, so I ran to her and picked her up. When no frantic parents were anywhere to be seen, Todd walked the street hoping to find some while I sat with her on the curb.

After a few minutes, her dad met up with Todd. As it turns out, the 5 year old darling little blondie has autism and managed to escape through a usually-locked door while her dad tended to her brothers. We swapped stories, I offered my testimony of ID bracelets, and we parted ways.

I was pleased to be on the other end of the run away child story this time.

If you were wondering... We now put a latch on the gate in Gabriel's bedroom. The only way he's busting out of there is to climb over it (which is inevitable at some point). We also lock the front screen and put the key up where he can't reach it. We check and double check these 2 things each night. Pretty much our best bet is to go on total lock-down each night. I'm thinking metal security shutters on all the doors and windows ought to do it.