We Locked The Baby In The Car

What a day today has been.  It was full of "welcome to  Honduras" moments and all kinds of processes.  But we are still here.

Nicole, Haley and I left here a few minutes after 7:30.  Nicole had a doctor's appointment at 9:00.  But so did everyone else.  That means the doctor arrives at 9:00 and starts seeing people on a first come, first served basis.  We got there at 9:40.  Nicole was number 6 and the doctor was with the first patient.  We were suppose to pick someone up at the airport at 11:00.  When we left this morning, we were sure this would not be a problem.  Silly us.

We left the doctor's office at 11:30, racing to the airport and passing the bank where I desperately needed to stop and get money with which to pay my employees.  We arrived at the airport thinking Howard would be waiting on us.  He was.  With an immigration officer.  He did not know the address where he was staying while in Honduras, a very important piece of information.  I told the immigration officer the information he needed and he Howard went back to get through immigration and customs.  We went to meet the group so Howard could work with them this afternoon.

We had a long list of errands to get done today.  It was 2:00 p.m. before we even started on errands.  We prioritized and quickly marked several things off the to do list.  I had to go to the bank, so off we went back across town.  After I had the money, we headed to PriceSmart.  I had to buy dump food and dog food.

Miss Emma Kate will have a planned arrival, probably around July 24.  We were wanting to do some baby shopping while we were in town.  We were excitedly talking about some of the most important things Emma and Mommy will need.  We parked at PriceSmart.  I got out and locked the front door.  Nicole got out and locked the front door.  With the keys in the ignition and Haley in the back seat.  Haley has been told several times not to ever touch the door locks.  And if she does, she will get a big spanking.  Nicole was yelling through the window, unlock the door.  She says, " I can't mommy."  Nicole got a window open a couple of inches.  Calmly, Nicole began to tell Haley to unbuckle her car seat..  "I can't Mommy."  Nicole told her to wiggle out.  She began to try.  I could see Haley better than Nicole.  I was telling Nicole to tell her to wiggle on leg at a time out, not both.  She finally got out of the car seat.  She was so hot and sweaty.  She could not grasp the door lock.  In the front seat on the driver's side, the door lock is broken.  There is a screw stuck in the door lock so that it can be locked and unlocked.  We guided her into the front seat.  Nicole told her to grab the screw and pull up.  She did.  Praise God.  Just second before, she unlocked the front door, a security guard walked up and asked if we needed help.  Haley unlocked that door and we opened it immediately and told the guard no.

We praised Haley and told her how much help she was.  We told her how smart she was and how good she was.  "You is smart.  You is pretty.  You is wonderful."  She had no idea how serious the situation had been. 

We went to Diunsa with another shortened list of what we wanted.  Baby stuff is expensive here.  I was in shock.  We got a few needed items and Haley got a new red ball for her heroic efforts.  As we started home well after 5:00, Haley went to sleep in the car seat holding the red ball.  It is exhausting work being locked inside a car.

I hope that never happens again.

Terri