The Unthinkable

I wasn't home today. I babysat for a friend this morning & then we had lunch together while the kids continued playing. I barely heard my cell ringing & caught it after the caller had hung up. There were 3 missed calls. Which for me is strange. I don't live through my cell phone & most people don't call it. My dad, who is assistant superintendent of the school my boys attend, was one of the calls I had missed. Which had it been a normal day I would have thought it was strange that he called me on my cell because he is an extremely busy person & doesn't call during the day for no reason. But I had called him earlier in the day about a paper I needed him to fax to the other school location so I was half expecting a call back. When he didn't answer again, I left another message thinking he was just returning my first call. My sister was the last call I missed so I called her back next. It was then things took an unexpected turn. The conversation went something like this.

Amber: "Do you know what is going on at school?"

Me: "No?"

Amber: "There was a bomb threat at the school. All the kids have been evacuated, are ok & are at the church next door. I can pick them up but I need to be on their EMA list."

Me: choking out a "Yes, you are."

Amber sounded surprisingly calm as I was somewhat upset. I thank her for that. I am usually quite calm in emergency situations but for some reason I was rather shaken up this time. I am still shaky just thinking about it.

There was no bomb. As of right now we don't know for sure what happened. I briefly spoke to my dad but only long enough for him to make sure Amber was on my EMA list. He sounded angry. My dad doesn't get angry very often. It has been speculated that it was a student that said something. I was subbing one day last spring when a group of middle school girls pulled the fire alarm. I was in the teachers lounge when my dad & a police officer were talking to them. I hadn't seen him that upset since I was a teenager. I can only imagine what is going on now.

The kids are fine. My sister talked to them on the way back to her house & then I talked to them again on the way home. They had a few questions & Seth was mad because he had to leave his backpack there with a favorite toy in it. But they are otherwise unconcerned as Elijah put it.

There is nothing in the world that can prepare you for hearing those words. I cannot imagine had there really been a bomb. Just a threat of one shakes you to your core when it touches someone you love. This would have been five someone's that I love. I am trying not to be angry. After all no one was hurt. But the sheer stupidity of it all is hard for me to wrap my brain around. I keep telling myself that I need to pray for the person who said something. I have no idea what is going on in their life. Perhaps this was their way of calling for help.