I am only an indoor boy now

You would think I would learn my lesson. Every time I send my kids out to play in the neighborhood, something less than desirable (yet ultimately blogworthy) takes place.

Yesterday was no exception.

Worried that Andrew might become the poster child for an 'anti-video game/anti-couch potato child' campaign, I decided it was time to force him outside for some fresh air. His best buddy/arch nemesis Zack decided to join him.

They headed off helmet headed, Andrew on his bike and Zack on his scooter. Truth be told, having my kids out playing in the neighborhood makes me extremely anxious. I live in fear they may injure themselves or others (or destroy people's property, let small dogs out of backyards, etc). Oh, and maybe they could get kidnapped or run over or something... This list of possibilities is quite frightening and lengthy.

I gave them permission to ride around the loop of the neighborhood. They were also allowed to play in the common area and at the neighborhood playground.

Low and behold, they were not gone for twenty minutes when Zack came rushing through the door yelling, "EMERGENCY!!! EMERGENCY!!! Oh hi, Maddie, have you seen Mom? EMERGENCY!!!! EMERGENCY!!!"

So, I dropped the laundry I was folding and rushed upstairs to find out what was going on.

"Hurry, Mom! Andrew's stuck in a tree and he's really scared!!!!"

So, I grabbed my shoes and followed Zack toward the common area. We passed the bike and scooter left on the sidewalk near the opening to the common area. The helmets weren't with them. When I asked Zack where the helmets were, he said, "Oh I don't know. We threw them." I spotted one across the street and the other in the street in a free parking space. At least they didn't hit any cars when they threw them...

Very faintly I begin to hear, "help me....help me...help me...."

Then Zack says, "It's going to be ok, Andrew, mom's here."

I look up and geez Louise Andrew is at the very top of a 30+ foot pine tree. The branches are thin and I can't figure out how they are holding his weight. I contemplated getting my camera to document the scene, but was actually too concerned that Andrew might fall and get extremely hurt.

There was no way for me to climb up to him. It was a very powerless feeling I had. Zack is on his knees praying that Andrew will get down safely. I look up and hear Andrew praying for his own safety as well.

I instruct Andrew to carefully start climbing down and to hold tightly to the tree trunk with his arms. Every few steps branches would break and fall and Andrew and I would panic a bit, but he held tightly to the trunk as he took each step.

Fortunately, he made it down safely. He was very shaken by the whole experience. He had a lot of faith as he worked his way down.

When I asked him why he climbed so high, he said he wanted to come down, but going up was easier and then he was stuck. So many religious metaphors from this experience.

We actually had a whole family home evening last night based on the experience. We talked about the importance of faith, and holding to the rod, answered prayers, and how sometimes we get ourselves into worse problems because it seems easier to keep going than to turn back.

As we headed back to the house after Andrew came down from the tree, he looked at me and very soberly informed me, "I am only an indoor boy now."