On New Year’s Eve we went to an early, family New Year’s Eve party at our neighbor’s house. Ava was delighted to find so many kids there and was soon immersed in bubbles, blowers, party crowns, and confetti sprayers. And Nate and I were enjoying the rare freedom of chatting with the adults, yet we were always in the same room as her. At about 8:30, I walked by the front door and saw another mom pulling Ava’s boots off her feet.
“Ava,” I said, “you don’t need to wear your boots in the house.”
“Ocean just saved your daughter’s life,” was the mom’s reply. I stood their bewildered as she explained that her son, Ocean had found Ava walking down the sidewalk outside in the snow. Yes, our two-year-old had put on her boots and left the party.
The horror of this reality did not sink in until I was laying in my bed that evening. Suddenly all the other possibilities and scenarios filled my mind, not to mention the news blurb: “Toddler found wandering in the snow while parents are at a New Year’s Eve party.”
Ava has never ever tried to leave any building ever before. One moment she was at the table blowing bubbles with Cedar and then next she was alone out in the cold. We think that she must have been so intrigued by the snow. She has been waiting and waiting for it to snow; it finally snowed on New Year’s Eve.
What really struck me as I lay there awake shuttering about the precariousness of life and safety is that God truly watches over his little ones. He saved our little girl from the cold and the dark that night and we are so thankful.
