The importance of practicing

(pictured above: Katelyn, Emma Grace, Virginia, Bella and Gracie...the sweetest best of friends!)
The day before Easter, our church held it's annual Resurrection Easter Egg hunt for our community. Our girls were looking forward to the egg hunt for weeks! God really blessed this event, and He also protected our children. There were well over 1,000 people in attendance, and in all the excitement, Emma Grace got lost. Behind our church, there is a very long, large field which is divided up for the various age groups. David and I decided to split up, just to be sure that neither Wubs or Bella missed their egg hunt. JJ and I stayed with Bella on the 4 year old field and then as soon as Bella was finished picking up her eggs, we headed down towards the 1st/ 2nd grade field. I saw David talking with a few visitors, but no Emma Grace. Unfortunately, David thought Emma Grace was with me, but since I didn't make it to the 1st grade field fast enough, she had wandered off to find me. I felt my heart in my throat once I realized what had happened. We started looking through the crowd of people and small children, and I was praying and praying for Wubs. I could feel panic creeping into my thoughts, "I don't know all these people... I can't see her anywhere...". Praise the Lord, we had practiced this exact scenario many times! I have talked to the girls about being lost and the dangers that they could face. We have gone over and over the safest ways to protect themselves, such as finding another mommy with little children and asking them for help. Wubs was so brave! She did e.x.a.c.t.l.y like we had practiced! When she realized she was lost, she started looking for someone that she knew and she saw her Wednesday night discipleship teacher, Miss Carrie. Miss Carrie and her family stayed with Emma Grace until we were all reunited. Wubs started crying as soon as we saw each other. We hugged and hugged each other and I kept telling her that I was SO proud of my baby girl for staying calm and finding help! It was a scary five or six minutes, but I am so so thankful that we had practiced; Wubs was ready for this situation and the Lord protected her!
ps- Another skill we seem to practice often is parking lot safety. Bella can become easily distracted and her little hand sometimes leaves the side of the grocery cart as we are walking out to our car. Yesterday I said, "Baby, you have to hold onto the cart." When she asked me why,I responded lovingly but firmly, "Because you are little and the people in the cars won't be able see you...so they will smash you." Bella said, "And then there would be a lots of blood?" And I told her, "Yes." There was a man walking out to his car just ahead of us and I could see his shoulders bouncing as he laughed at our (morbid) conversation. wink! But hey- this skill will protect our sweet Bella Wella!
"I call to the Lord , who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies."-Psalm 18:3