Oh Boy!

For my blog this week I am going to write about a bit of attention that we were the center of this past week. A lot of you locals already know about this, so I might as well put the whole story out there. We really weren't looking for the attention, but it happens. Sometimes there are parts to our story that can be a little embarrassing or maybe at least things that we don't want the whole world to see. But we are human too, and so things do happen to us, just like with any other family. At least that's my excuse. 

As we go through life, most of the lessons that we learn are self-inflicted. And usually the cost is small, and we are the only ones affected. But when we need the help of the local fire department, the police and the DNR, and realize the time and money that everyone pours into us, there's not a whole lot that we can do or say to repay everyone for their time, and our little thank-you' s seem very inadequate!  I can only say how grateful we are to live in the community that we do. When it comes to commitment and giving their all, along with doing good at what they do, the volunteers from the Bittinger Fire Department and the County, State and Natural Resource Police officers are some of the world's best. We live in a pretty good place!

So, here's the story;

Last week one day, Jenelle and her friend Jean decided to go on a hike and take their younger boys with them. Jenelle wanted to show Jean some neat rock cliffs and caves on the Meadow Mountain Trail that we like to climb around on. Blake and Elliot would ride on ahead with their bikes and Jean and Jenelle would follow along slowly with the youngest . From the trailhead to the rocks is about three quarters of a mile. The rocks are off to the right soon after crossing a power line. It's hard to see them from the trail in the summer because of all of the trees. This was the first time Blake had been on this particular section of trail this year but Jenelle assumed he knew where it was, as we had been there often in the past. Well, Blake and Elliot missed the rocks and rode on for another mile and a half and then ditched their bikes on an uphill section and continued walking for another half mile on the trail until they came to the second power line. Blake thought maybe this was the power line where the rocks were and so they crossed the power line, walked a bit farther, and started to build a fort while they waited for their moms to come along. 

As Blake told me later, time flies when you're having fun and even though it seemed like it was taking a long time for their moms to come, they didn't give it a second thought but enjoyed the time in the woods.

Meanwhile  Jenelle and Jean didn't find the boys when they got to the rock pile. They thought maybe they were going to jump out and scare them or something, but they weren't there and neither were their bikes. And so they went on down the trail for approximately another mile to where the trail comes out close to Maynardier Ridge Rd. 

At that point Jean took her younger son and headed back towards the trailhead. Jenelle ran on ahead looking for the boys. She found the bikes and thought the boys probably were in the woods close by. She hollered for them and no answer. She ran up the trail and back down the trail calling their names but no response. She called Jean and they decided to call 911 sooner rather than later, which everyone says was the right thing to do. The police said that they would be there shortly and told Jenelle to stay with the bikes and not to walk into the woods as it would ruin the trail for the tracking dogs and so that's what she did. She called me at work and I immediately headed that way. I drove down New Germany and up Otto Lane, thinking that if the boys came out on any one of those roads, maybe I would see them. I stopped several times and called for them but no response. When I got to the trail end of Otto lane, the police were already there and didn't want us to go in because we might mess up the track for the dogs. Well after only a short time of tracking, the dog came upon Blake and Elliott. Blake said hello to the dog handler. The dog handler asked if they were lost and Blake said no, that they were waiting for his mom. That is when Blake realized that they were being looked for and weren't probably in the right place that they should be.

And so that's the scoop. It was great to be re-united with our boy again, even if it had been only three hours since Jenelle saw him last.

Funny how a little incident can really make your heart stop and you realize how much you love the ones you love, and appreciate those around you and in your community!

Thanks everyone!