So Thankful She Is Safe...

From the title of my post you might think I am talking about Havensong. I am actually referring to Tayler. She is 17 years old, but no less my baby. I have tried very hard to let her go bit by bit. I have been keenly aware that I can't keep her next to me forever. I didn't know how I was ever going to be okay with her leaving my side and just roaming around in this big world.  The thought of her growing up and away from me for any length of time worried me to no end. I think I have done pretty well...until tonight. I might be back at square one now for a while...

My friend, Brandy and I had just returned from Bellingham earlier this evening.We were home no more than fifteen minutes when we decided to go BACK into town. We thought we would go browse through the stores for baby bedding without any kids. Also, I needed detergent so I could scale Mt. Laundry tomorrow. As we were driving, I got that kind of call that every parent hates. It was Tayler and she sounded terrified. She asked me if I was anywhere near Walmart. She was quiet. Really quiet.

"DID YOU GET IN A WRECK?!!" I yelled.

Thoughts of her recent wreck came into my mind. Her climbing out of her smashed car and stepping over live wires that had fallen down around her after she hit a telephone pole. I felt total panic. But she was on the other end talking, so that meant she was alive. I heard her whimper and then she just full on started to cry.

"WHAT???" I wailed.

"A man tried grab me in the parking lot." she said, sobbing and taking deep breaths. It took a minute to sink in. I told Brandy to hurry. I just kept pointing in the direction of Wal-Mart. Tayler said she was inside, by  the make up aisle because that was the only place she had reception. Brandi parked out front and I ran inside. I called her name and saw her come around the corner. She didn't look like my independent, self assured, almost grown daughter. She looked like my baby girl. The one who needed me to sleep with her when she was afraid at night. I hugged her and closed my eyes, so thankful she was safe. And then I felt mad. I wanted to get a hold of that man who tried to harm my daughter, take him down, and yank his eyeballs right out of his head, and then rip him to shreds. I am sorry for the strong language...but that is exactly how I felt. I'm just stating the facts here.

It was a blur to her, but she somehow got away after he went for her and ran back inside the store. She said the man had earlier followed her for forty minutes while she shopped. She kept trying to lose him, but she couldn't shake him. He was peeking around corners at her and he waited while she paid. He purchased nothing. She was afraid to go outside so she tried to look for her friend's Mom who she had just seen. Not finding her, she decided to go out to her car which was only parked four spaces back. As she got to her car he tried to grab her. She remembers very little at this point. Hopefully the footage will show what happened.

(WHY HAVE I NOT TALKED TO HER RECENTLY ABOUT THIS KIND OF SITUATION????)

 Later an employee told me he had noticed Tayler leaving, and the man was right behind her. Tayler said she knew he had followed her out, and she was so afraid. She couldn't even scream. But she ran. And that saved her.

 We called the police and they were there in minutes. They took the description of him from Tayler. She said he was Eastern Indian, medium build, short black hair, with a large nose. She didn't remember any color of clothing. They said that Wal-Mart has the very best video surveillance and they would check it and have her come in and identify him tomorrow.

I decided to write this post as a little reminder to women out there. If you feel unsafe, do not disregard that feeling. Ask someone to walk you out to your car even if you are parked closely to the store.
Talk to your children and tell them to be SO CAREFUL.
Especially your girls!

I would like to say again how thankful I am that she is safe. Oh, I am so thankful. I am going to be smothering her a little lot more in the near future. But I think this scary experience will cause her to be more aware of her surroundings.

Did I mention I am thankful?
My girl is safely tucked into bed...
Thank You Lord...