A first I never thought I would have experienced with a 4 year old!

(July 19th, 2012)

So..we had our first "runaway.."  Any guesses who???

It was...

Taya.

Cory and the kids were playing outside while I was working.  The next thing I know, they are coming inside and Taya walked in and said, "I'm leaving.  I'm going..away!"  I tried to figure out what the matter was but she kept repeating that she was leaving.  I asked Cory what happened and he said that when he told them it was time to come in she got made and told him that she wanted to "go away!"  So I told her to go get her backpack and pack what she needed and wanted to take with her.  She went downstairs and came back up with her backpack filled with her favorite stuffies, a barbie, and a pair of shoes.  I added some clothes and handed her bag to her.  She put it on and went towards the door.  Let me tell you..the others were NOT happy about this!  They were seriously hysterical!!  They kept yelling for her to stay home, to not go, for me to stop her.  It was the saddest thing.  They were crying so hard!  We walked her outside...and off she went..sort of.

The kids all ran after her.  After a few minutes Cory got them to go inside and I stayed outside to watch her. Taya walked down the sidewalk.   Honestly, I didn't know how far she would go.  But, she go to the tree that you can see in the picture..which also happens to be their boundary when playing outside, and turned around.  She looked at me and said, "I am going to go this way!"  And pointed down the sidewalk in the other direction.  I walked towards the house as she walked past.  I went inside for a second but watched her out the window.  She was just standing on the sidewalk next to the tree down that way (their other boundary)....just standing there.  I walked outside and called to her.  She turned around and looked at me.  I started walking over and said, "Taya, you don't have to go anywhere, but if you want to leave, I am not going to stop you."  She looked up at me, tears in her eyes, and ran to my open arms!  She cried so hard and said, "I don't want to go!  I want to come back home!"  It was, without a doubt, the most emotional moment!  I've never, ever experienced a child crying that way, that painful, relieved, loving, scared way.  I've never cried from relief that way!  

I love you so much my Taya girl! I am so happy you chose to come home, to be a part of our family.  I would have missed you so much.  My life, our family, your daddy, and your siblings would not have been the same without you!