Behind the scenes:

Things get crazy around here.
Ridiculously nutz.
Last night was a good example:

I got off work at 4:30pm
so I could run home,
throw on a skirt,
freshen up
and get over to the new Mission President's house
by 5:00pm
to help prepare and serve dinner
to those 12 missionaries who left this morning
for their momma's arms--
some were from California,
others from New York,
Connecticut,
Pennsylvania,
Washington state,
and every where else.

Anyway,
that was the plan.
But
just as I was leaving out of the house,
I looked around and asked Daisie,
"Where's Joseph?"
"I dunno. He didn't come home on the bus. He hasn't called." she replied,
while not taking her eyes off the TV.
"Well, I guess they had cross-country afterall today. I'll get him."

Sure enough,
he was waiting outside,
in the drizzling rain
for me to fetch him.
Now, that wasn't so bad--
he'd only been waiting 5 minutes.

Since I didn't have time to run back to the house,
I told him he could just come with me
to the Mission President's house for that dinner.
He was totally fine with it,
only regretted that he resembled a drowned rat
with a hoodie.
But otherwise, he was fine with it.

We arrived a tad late,
but got busy,
and things fell into place easily.
President Anderson and his wife are wonderful--
so personable and generous.
President Anderson even visited with Joseph
about their common bond in Cross Country.
Sweet, hunh?

Well we fed those tired missionaries,
cleaned up the kitchen and left.
On the way home,
I noticed my phone was blinking
with 19 MISSED CALLS.
Oh no, I thought, something's happening at home.

I listened to the first message,
which was from my husband--
"Uh. Noone has seen Joseph or knows where he's at.
Just calling to see if you know anything. Call me back."
The next message was from Daisie:
"Mom? We can't find Joe. Call home."

I sighed and handed the phone to Joseph--
"Call Dad.  He thinks you're lost."

Joseph, "Hey Dad. I'm with Mom. Yeah. Yeah. Okay."

"He says he'll talk to me when we get there,
he's too mad to talk right now."

I called the house right back and Mr. W answered.
"You okay?" I ask.
"Well, I've driven back and forth to the school half dozen times,
thru the neighborhoods...just really worried.  Woulda been nice if someone told us where he was."

I answered, "I told Daisie before I left that I was gonna pick him up."
"Yeah, well, she musta been sucked into the TV because she doesn't remember any of that."
I could hear the concern in his voice.

So I got home,
Mr W met us in the driveway--
I guess to get his eyes on Joseph
and he looked like he'd been on Jeopardy! without a clue...
just a mess.
Daisie popped into the front room,
ready to give her side--
and I just shook my head at both of them--
"Daisie, you told me when I came home from work,
that Joseph wasn't here. I told you I'd pick him up at school.
Did you think I'd just go on with my plans not knowing where your brother was?"
Then I gave Mr.W a full on eyebrow crunch in his direction.
"You two. Honestly."  I shook my head.

All heck breaks loose when I'm not at home, it seems.
Sigh.