Joshua's Quarter

Hey, I haven't blogged for a really long time. Don't really have an excuse, just reading other's blogs and enjoying them. BUT... I have to share this story with you about Joshua.

Joshua is Alison and Les's son (Lindsay and Jay's friends who are moving to Ethiopia next week) He was the little guy in Lindsay's & Jay's wedding. Anyway, Les and Alison are staying over at an INN by me this week before they fly out from here to Ethiopia. They asked me if I could help out with Marea and Joshua so they could get some last minute stuff done. They also have a 3-month old baby, but I just had Joshua and Marea with me.

They wanted to go to the Mall, the mall at Oxmoor with the Big Ship. They were playing and talking to other kids, etc. Well, Joshua was playing by the motorized cars, you know the ones where you have to put a $1.00 in to ride a few minutes-big rip off. Anyway, I let them ride with two other kids and when they got off the ride, Joshua began looking on the floor for money, in case someone dropped it by the ride. He did find .31 cents and was on a mission to find some more so he could ride some more. I remember how cool I thought it was to find money when I was young.

In a split second (and I know you mom's with more than one kid know how this could happen) I looked up and Joshua was gone. I was giving change to the other child's mom and I looked up and he was gone. I started calling his name and the mom finally saw him and her child all the way down the other side of the mall. I raced down there (forgetting about Marea) , and there was Joshua with his arms in the fountain, trying to scoop up some money. He was soaking wet from the elbow down. They had gone down on the floor, looking for money and Joshua remembered we had just thrown some pennies in the fountain. Its funny how the money search for them took on a life of its own and WAY out of range quickly! I grabbed Joshua then ran down to the other end, remembering Marea. I gave Joshua a consequence for his actions, but seeing him elbow deep in that water trying to find some more money, was funny, AFTER it was all over. He is a character anyway, with such an adventurous personality and so very sweet. Anyway, that is one of the many memories I will have of them, that day, when I almost lost him in the mall. Monday we all go to McDonald's or McDongal's as Joshua says -for the final time-for at least awhile. It will be very sad to see them go. They will be gone for 4 years, but somehow I think they will be safer in Ethiopia, then they were with me in the Mall today. God Bless all parents with more than one child. I don't know how you all do it!!!!