Freak Out, Then Forgive

Ok, so since I don’t even know where to start this morning this afternoon, I will begin where every story should…the beginning.

--->And a quick note…the pictures are not for the squeamish.<---

This morning started off like every other morning. Tyler went to cross country practice at 7, and I took Katie and Zachary to school at 8.

I headed out for a run, and had a pretty good one although I can’t even think to tell you any details at this point.

I was pulling in to the driveway, sweaty and gross, when my phone rings.

Me: Hello.

School Nurse: Hey Erica, it’s Betty. I need you to come down here and get Tyler, he’s going to need some stitches.

Me: WHAT?!?! What happened?? Is he ok???

School Nurse: Yes, he’s ok, but you need to come down here.

----> Well of course, by this point I had already whipped the car around in the driveway, called Jack, and was running into her office.

I see Tyler sitting on the paper-covered table with a freaked out look on his face and a handful of tissues holding his forearm. I think I asked a million and one questions in the blink of an eye, and all I heard were the words “just before class, another kid, razor blade.”

Apparently what had happened was, Tyler and his buddies were sitting there visiting before class. A kid had taken a razor blade out of a pencil sharpener [who even thought pencil sharpeners had razor blades you could TAKE out??] and slashed Tyler’s arm with it. Tyler said he turned around and the kid was like, “Whoa.” Of course, Tyler and his buddies hopped up and they grabbed him the tissues and told him to get to the nurse’s office so he turned and ran with blood everywhere.

I have never been more scared in my life. When I was diagnosed with cancer I was freaked out…but this was way worse in my soul, because it was my CHILD. Someone had HURT him. Purposely! My mother’s instinct kicked in and I wanted to find this kid and tell him exactly what I thought. Luckily I had some time to calm down before this reaction had a chance to play out.

So Jack and I got Tyler up to Michelle’s clinic where she assessed the damage. I have to thank God right now for protecting my baby. I am in tears thinking about the damage that could have been done. Michelle said that if it had been a hair deeper he would have cut muscle. A HAIR. Thank you, Jesus, for that beautiful hedge of protection around my babies.

Now that I’ve had a chance to calm down think about things, I know that I need to pray for this boy. It’s what God has called us to do in everything, right? Ephesians 4:32 says “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

This boy is a classmate of Tyler’s and has been forever, Jack has even coached him in little league in the past. He’s a pretty good kid, just not a lot of guidance I suppose. But like the police officer said, “This was not an accident, it was an error in judgment.” Well put. It’s like someone shooting a gun at someone and then saying, “Well I didn’t mean to kill him!” I don’t want anything bad to happen to this boy, I just want him to understand how serious it is, and to realize that actions have consequences. The school must take action by law so we are just filling out statements and such for them. I pray that God will use this situation for His glory and that this would be an opportunity to witness, and to let God’s love shine through us.

So that has been our day thus far. I am so thankful that Tyler is ok and that the damage is not any worse. He doesn’t hold any grudges at all against the boy, and after he calmed down he was fine. Me? Well, I’m hearing sirens and worrying about everything, but that’s not too out of the ordinary for me;-) And I may or may not have kissed him, like, 10 times before I let him go to class when we got back to school.

--->By the way, he wanted to go back to school and show all his buddies. And apparently, “scars are cool.” Oy, I’m so out of the loop.<---

I am also thankful that no one told me how bad I stunk or how gross I looked as I flew into the school, doctor’s office, and police station lookin’ all, well, you know…like I just ran 6.2 miles in 1:01:30. Oh see there, my memory is coming back! But there is no stoppin’ a Mama when she’s protecting her babies. I am so thankful I wasn’t in the shower;-)

xoxo