There goes another five years off my life....

I opened the door yesterday to get the newspaper just in time to see Spencer in the yard walking home from the bus stop.

Me: Where is your brother? (Thinking he was lagging behind and picking up ice or filling a Meijer bag with snow - things that he does).

Spencer: I don't know. He wasn't on the bus. Did you pick him up today?

Me: He wasn't on the bus????? Are you sure?????? Did he forget to get off at the stop?????

Spencer: I didn't see him on the bus.

Me: Was he at school? Did you see him after school???????

Spencer: He went to school with me. I didn't see him after.

Me: Stay by the road and watch for the bus, see if he forgot to get off and it brings him back. I am going to call the school.

I call the school and no one answers.

I call Trent and no one answers.

I call my mom and no one answers.

I call Trent again and leave a message "Answer your &*!!!%%* PHONE! Evan didn't get off the bus and he is missing. No one is answering at the school and I don't know what to do. I am freaking out!"

I call my mom back and no one answers.

I call my mom's cell phone and she answers. I tell her to go to the school because Evan is missing and I can't leave the house in case he comes here or someone calls.

I yell outside to Spence if there is any sign of him. There isn't. My heart is beating so fast. I feel so helpless. I have no idea what to do next. I can't think straight. Why didn't anyone answer at the school? Is no one still there?

Trent pulls in the driveway. I open the door and yell to him to go to the school.

I call my Mom and tell her that Trent is on his way to the school. I tell her to go to Hailey's school where they house the buses and go to the transportation department and ask someone there what to do.

I call my neighbor who has a son in Evan's class and two daughters in Spencer's class. She talks to her kids and tells me that Evan was in class all day, but they don't remember him being on the bus. She says her kids said that the bus was not in the usual spot and that they had a substitute driver. They don't remember if they saw him in the bus lines or not.

I am starting to worry less that he was taken or left behind and start to think that he just got on the wrong bus. Though when I picture my shy little boy sitting there on the wrong bus not knowing what to do I just want to start bawling my eyes out.

I still can't think straight. I am trying to find the number for the administration building so that I can call the transportation department and see if they can call the buses. I finally find the number online. I call and get a message that says if this is an emergency press 1.

I press 1. I get a hold of a real person and I tell her I need to be transferred to the transportation office. She transfers me. No one answers. Voicemail. I can't get back to the real girl. I hang up and call back and press 1 again.

I tell her that I just called and no one answered and I am panicking because my son never got off the bus. I tell her that I am hoping he is on the wrong bus because otherwise I have no idea where he is. She is super helpful and says she will run down and look for someone to call me back or she will call back herself.

Trent beeps in. Evan is not at the school. The office is locked. He can't find his teacher. My heart sinks a little. I tell him to go to other school where my mom is in case they won't give her information. I look out the window and see my baby boy walking up the road.

I have never felt that much of a weight lifted off of me before.

I tell Trent to head home. I call my mom and tell her that he is home. The school beeps in but I can't switch over. I call the school back and get voicemail. I tell her that we have him and thank you so much for your help.

Evan walks in with tears in his eyes. He got on the wrong bus. He was so scared. I just hugged him and told him that I was so scared too.

The bus driver calls back and makes sure that he got home. I thank her so much again. She tells me he was pretty upset. My poor baby.

I was shocked when I looked at the clock and it was only 4:15. All that happened in about twenty five minutes.

It felt like hours.

I can't imagine what mother's that have missing children go though. I experienced it for twenty five minutes - I was pretty sure that he was OK, just not where he should be. But to just have to wait and wait and hope and pray that your baby is safe somewhere. Ugh.....I can't think about it anymore. It is my worst nightmare and it is not something that anyone should have to experience. I just thank God that Evan got home safe and sound.