A Wake Up Call

I think most of us would  just about do anything for our children, no matter what age. Heck I'm 50 something and mama and daddy still think I'm in my teens. Hey, I sorta like it.... at times. Kinda like that book I'll Love You Forever.

Back in '99 Nikki (our oldest daughter) was living in Starkville and attending Miss State. One night she called and told Sammy to tell me to call her around 7:30 the next morning. She wanted to make sure she didn't over sleep. I will admit her first semester of college (Northeast), I would call her every morning and get her up 'cause I had flash backs of her at home. She would get up , take a shower, and I would find her in her closet with a towel wrapped around her, dead asleep. Hey I even did her laundry for her, but the second semester she grew up. She told me not to call and wake her and she would do her own laundry. This was her second year of college, she had never ask us to do that, so of course I watched the clock all night, thinking I might over sleep. Even though I had two other kids to get up that morning, this was different....COLLEGE.

Sammy even reminded me before he left for work, "call her". I was sitting on 7:30 and I called and NO ANSWER!!!!  I called for an hour and NO ANSWER!! I even called some boys from Iuka that were her friends, to go over and check on her and they got ...NO ANSWER. Sammy called.....while I dreamed stuff up. Finally, I had had enough. I jumped in the car and headed to Starkville. I got to about Burnsville (8 miles from the house) and had to pull over at a gas station. I was so sick to my stomach (to much information, I know) but I just knew something was wrong. I thought maybe someone had busted up in her place and got her or maybe the apartment had caught on fire, whatever. I got my self together and put the petal to to metal.
When I was going through Tupelo I was flying. I heard on the news that night where there had been a bank robbery in Tupelo about the time I was going through. Y'all I could have been the "get away car" I was driving so fast. Low and behold when I got to West Point there was a train that had stopped dead still. I sersiously thought about getting out of my car and going between the rail cars and asking someone to turn their car around and take me to Nikki. I WAS CRAZY!!! I WAS A WILD MAMA LOOKING FOR HER YOUNG.
Now for those of you who have little ones, your time is coming. For those of you who have been there and done that know the sick feeling. Thats why we dye our hair!!   Right?
This whole time Sammy and Lisa (my sister) kept calling Nikki and they reported to me NO ANSWER. Of course by the time I reach the apartment I had a  plan.... I'm going in the window but something clicked in my head and said try knocking on the door first. Nikki had a room mate, Amy, but I thought maybe she was out of town. Boy I think we were both surprised when she opened the door and we saw each other. I ask if Nikki was around. Nikki came out of nowhere.
Nikki: What are you doing here, Mama?
Me: (I can't tell ya how happy I was to see her) I hugged her and said I came to wake you up.
Nikki thought at first something bad had happened and I had come to tell her. She ask me to come inside and sit down and tell her again why I was there.
Me: (calmly) I've come to wake you up.
Nikki:  Oh Mama, I meant for you to call, didn't daddy tell you.
ME: We've called all morning but NO ANSWER, so here I am.
Nikki and Amy checked the phones and found them dead.
Me: Well, you're up; I'll go now.
Nikki: No Mama, lets have lunch.

Me: Sounds good.
(At lunch) Me: So what class did you have to get up so early for this morning?
Nikki: Oh I wanted to get up early and...... go swim.
Me......... Do you want this sandwich mushed in your face???
By the way, the boys I sent to check on her, told me later they had gone to the wrong apartment. College Kids gotta love 'em.                                                                                                                                                                                              

Dear Lord,
This clock of life is wound only once and may we not take life for granted because only you know when the hands will stop. Help us to be better parents and friends to others. May we take time to be an encourager, lift spirits and just be pleasure to be around. I know this could be a wake up call for all of us, 'cause our "wake up call" is just ahead. Thank you for watching over me, keeping me focus, and helping me get through this difficult year. I LOVE YOU!!! Bless my family, friends and blog readers.

Just thinking: If you had to describe yourself as a clock, what kind of clock are you.
A chiming.....A striking......battery operated or cuckoo. Do you  move backwards or forwards? In Nikki's case I think she was a cock-a doodle-do (wanting me to get her up). I'm a little cuckoo, that is nothing new, but I'm striving to be chiming. I only look backwards for memories but I'm pushing forward one day at a time. Hey it has been a longgggggg night, can't you tell!!!