Shoes

While we attending to Garrett after his accident, I noticed his shoes (fake "crocs" from WalMart) lying the street. They had obviously been thrown off his feet when he was hit. In the midst of all of the hubbub, I didn't even think to pick them up. Matt apparently threw the clothes the paramedics had cut off of Garrett into the entry when he went in the house to get his keys. Karen Arneson actually picked up the bag of fruit that I had been carrying for Garrett (a gift as we were leaving the party). I thought to run into the house and grab rice milk and cereal for Micah for the next morning. But, no one picked up Garrett's shoes.

The day after he was released from the hospital, our neighbor wanted to treat the kids to a Slurpie from 7-11 in celebration of Garrett's homecoming. When Garrett went to get ready to go, he wondered where his "crocs" were. No one knew. I knew that I had seen them in the street, but no one had mentioned picking them or having them. So, we had him wear different shoes and get ready. Honestly, if a $5 pair of shoes is all that is lost when your child is hit by a car, you are very blessed.

This morning the phone rang around 7:30. I assumed it was an insurance adjuster. Then I noticed on the Caller ID that it was the Carol Stream Police. When I answered the phone, I wondered what they needed. The officer on the phone informed me that they had Garrett's shoes. We have an appointment to pick them up today.

On the way to the hospital on Monday morning, I asked myself if I would have been able to say as Job did, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." if Garrett had been killed in the accident. I'm still not sure of my answer, but I am currently thankful that it was not the time for God to test my faith in that way. Instead, today I am feeling like Job after everything was restored without having ever to experience his great feelings of loss.

Garrett looks almost as good as new. (He's currently got a funny haircut from when we were trying to keep the hair out of the scrapes on his face, but once I use the clippers on it all it will be fine.) His abrasions are almost healed. He only has bruise where they drew his blood and put in his IVs. He's back to harassing his siblings and we get another chance to work on kindness with him. He's doing better than the few days before the accident on potty-training. (Go figure!) And by this afternoon, we will even have his shoes!