For so many, 2009 was a hard and difficult year. Jobs, houses, cars were lost. People struggled. We struggled with my husband being gone and his return, but mostly life was okay. The last part of 2009 and first month of 2010 have shown me so much sorrow. From our friends passing in October, so many more sad things have happened. It helps to put your life into shocking perspective.
In December, a pediatrician in a local town was arrested on charges of child molestation. The things that have come out are sickening and shocking. Knowing that you've driven past that office, wondered about the crazy stuff all over, that brings it even closer to home.
Right before Christmas, a young girl was abducted from her home where she lived with her aunt. The aunt's ex-boyfriend, a known sex offender, took the little girl. Police apprehended the suspect quickly, but it took them several days to locate her, and when they finally found her on Christmas day, she had been killed. This hit everyone hard...she is the same age as PB, and from all accounts a happy little girl.
There have been several attempted abductions in our school district in the last few months. All have happened when children were walking home alone, either from the school or the bus stop. Luckily, all the kids ran, yelled or resisted and were able to get away. But it feels like a ticking time bomb, waiting to go off. PB and Monster never ride the bus, as they go to school on the Air Base and I have to take them since we no longer live there. But occasionally Bug has to walk a short distance from the bus stop. She is 16, and almost an adult, but it still concerns me. We've talked to our kids, and make sure our house is locked and the alarm set if we aren't home, or if they are home without us. And we try not to live in fear, but are definitely more cautious.
And lastly is this little boy. Ethan's dad works at the same agency as I do, and although I don't know him well, I can not imagine the hell he has been living for the last 14 months. Unfortunately, it appears as if his time with Ethan is very short, and it breaks my heart.
I read a quote on a pop bands web page recently that related to how fast our kids are growing up these days. DDS and I have always tried to find a balance between allowing our kids to be children, while also instilling personal responsibility and an appropriate level of maturity in them. I'm finding it harder and harder to allow them some of the freedoms they need to grow, wanting instead to shelter them here at home. It's not always easy, but I'm trying.
In December, a pediatrician in a local town was arrested on charges of child molestation. The things that have come out are sickening and shocking. Knowing that you've driven past that office, wondered about the crazy stuff all over, that brings it even closer to home.
Right before Christmas, a young girl was abducted from her home where she lived with her aunt. The aunt's ex-boyfriend, a known sex offender, took the little girl. Police apprehended the suspect quickly, but it took them several days to locate her, and when they finally found her on Christmas day, she had been killed. This hit everyone hard...she is the same age as PB, and from all accounts a happy little girl.
There have been several attempted abductions in our school district in the last few months. All have happened when children were walking home alone, either from the school or the bus stop. Luckily, all the kids ran, yelled or resisted and were able to get away. But it feels like a ticking time bomb, waiting to go off. PB and Monster never ride the bus, as they go to school on the Air Base and I have to take them since we no longer live there. But occasionally Bug has to walk a short distance from the bus stop. She is 16, and almost an adult, but it still concerns me. We've talked to our kids, and make sure our house is locked and the alarm set if we aren't home, or if they are home without us. And we try not to live in fear, but are definitely more cautious.
And lastly is this little boy. Ethan's dad works at the same agency as I do, and although I don't know him well, I can not imagine the hell he has been living for the last 14 months. Unfortunately, it appears as if his time with Ethan is very short, and it breaks my heart.
I read a quote on a pop bands web page recently that related to how fast our kids are growing up these days. DDS and I have always tried to find a balance between allowing our kids to be children, while also instilling personal responsibility and an appropriate level of maturity in them. I'm finding it harder and harder to allow them some of the freedoms they need to grow, wanting instead to shelter them here at home. It's not always easy, but I'm trying.
2 comments:
Ack! That just breaks my heart, that, I should say all of it. Knowing that these things are going on so close to you must be trying. You don't want to live in fear, but you must be mindful of what is going on.
Interesting post I enjoyed read this.
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