Camper Mishap!

Well folks, I believe yesterday marked my first BIG blooper as a mommy. Sure I have had silly stuff happen like almost letting Ava roll off a bed, forgetting to feed my child lunch ( I know I am terrible, hey the child does not have a "hearty" appetite), and so forth. But yesterday was my biggest mommy oops thus far.

As you all have been updated recently on our living arrangements, we are living in a camper right! Well, yesterday the trash needed changing, because in this little of an environment, a semi-full trash can start smelling as if you are standing in a dump. So anyhow, I sack up the garbage and take it outside to the sidewalk to be taken to the dumpster later. Well, I figured this was only going to take a few seconds maybe 30 sec. max, so I leave Ava in the camper happily playing with her toys.

Upon arriving back at the camper I was greeted by a door that had been LOCKED by my precious daughter! I stood outside the camper trying to make sure what had just happened had really happened, and within a few seconds I realized it had indeed. My two year old child is in the camper unattended and I have absolutely no way in. This is not like living in a house, there is ONE door and no possible way of finding an unlocked window and climbing in. OH MY GOODNESS what am I going to do. I am outside with no keys and no phone and most importantly no Ava.

I begin to talk to Ava trough the door trying to get her to unlock the door. I am pretty sure she had no idea how to undo what she had just done. At first she thought we were playing a game, but she soon realized mommy is outside and cannot get back in. She begins to cry and keeps asking me to open the door. Yes my heart is breaking at this point, and the thought of any kind of discipline that Ava was going to receive for doing this went out the window, all I wanted to do is hug my sweet little Ava.

I talked to Ava for a few moments, long enough to calm her down a bit, because I was going to have to go get help.

I ran to the camp office and told the sweet little lady what had happened. I was not sure what I needed, a locksmith which, who knows how long that would take or the fire dept. I know they are always available to get kids out of locked cars, but what about campers. And in the back of my mind I am thinking, oh great CPS is going to show up and question me why I left my 2 yr old alone. Yes, by this time the waterworks were flowing.

The sweet lady tells me you go back to the camper and I will send one of the guys ( meaning the maintenance ) people down there.

So back to the camper I go.

I stand outside the door, calling for Ava once more, making sure she is alright. ......And I got NO response ........By this time I want to just start crying that real deep panic cry. But I tell myself that I have to stay calm. I begin praying for God to protect Ava and keep her from any harm, and for him to help us find a way out of what has become a TERRIBLE situation.

After a few minutes I hear the most precious sound, the pitter pat of her little feet. Once again, she was back at the door and she was fine. She was talking to me asking me " Mommy what doing?" .....Well sweet child I am standing in the blistering heat because you decided to lock me out! Of coarse that is not what I said. I just began talking to her to keep her happy, so she would not get scared again.

After a few minutes "Josh" shows up. He is one of the guys that works out here.

He has tools to pick the lock, ......but then he asks me....do you have a laundry shute in the camper??? ....And a light came on....yes we do!!

He says "well lets take a look at that first!"

The laundry shute is under the cabinet under the vanity sink, that opens to the storage compartment under the camper......the opening is about a 12 "x 12" hole. I am looking at this tiny hole thinking ......there are parts of me alone that will not fit through there, there is no way.

But then I look at Josh....he is a tiny guy.

To end this long story.... yes Josh climbs through the TINY hole and rescues my sweet Ava. My heart is forever grateful for little Josh.

I embraced Ava with a hug, and I didn't want to let go. I think she was as equally glad to see me.

After this happened I could not help but think about our heavenly father. I thought about that as long as we stay in his presence and in his arms we are protected from a lot junk. When we are living our lives just as we please, and we "lock"him out of our lives, we are opening ourselves up to a lot of dangerous opportunity for sin.

"...He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. " Ps 23: 3b

"You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Ps 32: 7


Just as Ava was in the camper all alone at 2 years old, she was very vulnerable to something bad happening to her. When I am with her I can help protect her from most things. ( i know I cannot protect her from everything )

I am grateful today that all is well, and Ava and I were both given a learning opportunity yesterday. Ava got a lesson on why not to lock doors, and I was reminded of the provision of protection from sin that Christ gives us when we are walking with him. Praise God!