NEVER again.....

Ok, I am a pretty responsible Mom (I think). I try to think thru most of the scenerios of things that could harm them and do what I can to protect them.
We have a pond that the kids fish in most days at some point. So when all mine were little, I took them around the pond every day as they toddled and walked a safe distance around it. After they were walking well they didn't even try to get too close to the water b/c they had practiced what was safe for months everyday. Now the older ones float in a boat across it but they are much older and can swim.

I have thought thru letting the oldest (13) start the vehicle and turn on the air when we are about to go somewhere and send the kids out into the vehicle once I get them ready (or inspect older ones) to go somewhere. I put on the emergency brake so that if the 4yo, 7yo or even 9yo bump the gear shift it will not move. Leave it to my curoious and playful 4yo to discover this safety flaw in my van. I have never thought about this happening this way. I have driven my Suburban regularly since 2002, so I have become "safe in the big green tank" until gas is nearly $4/gallon. Now I drive our Grand Caravan everywhere to save fuel $$. The van doesn't have a "LOCK" on the windows like my suburban does. The 4yo was sitting in the van waiting (inpatiently mind you) for us to turn the lights off thru the house to leave to go to Bible school. She was in her seat (far back) reading (looking at a book) and decided she wanted something more exciting to do. She climbed into the front passenger seat and was playing with the window, up down up down up down. But she failed to remember to remove her head from it the last time. UUGGGGHHH!! She was screaming scared....long story short. She is ok, but I was scared too that this could have ended tragically. I just couldn't believe that she had done it but was also overwhelmed at God protecting her from my failure and didn't take her home to be with Him. Isn't He so good to protect us from things we can see with earthly eyes, yet let us know it was from Him. SO, never again will she be allowed in the vehicle with it running unless there is a very responsible person in there with her to supurvise her shenanigans! She is my "dangerous and daring one" unless there is a strange man in the room then she is under my skirt.....go figure that one. She loves her Daddy tremendously.

Here is a photo of her playing with shaving cream at VBS! What child doesn't like to make a mess! haha