My NEW YEARS EVE...I'm EXTRA THANKFUL THAT I HAVE MY CHILDREN TO HOLD..READ BELOW~

So, we had a GREAT day.  The girls were happy, played in the play room.  I cleaned a TON.  Baked muffins and then we decided to go outside.  We played outside..i(not always the norm) went out and pushed the girls on the swing for an HOUR..they were having SOO much fun.  THEN, Paul came home and we all decided to pull out the quads i just bought from another mom not to long ago.  Paul had plugged them in last night b/c i wanted to make sure we'd have them today, just in case it was nice outside.  SO, i had to go in the barn/garage and pull out the charger, connect them and straighten out the wheel as the girls pulled them out of the garage.  In the midst of all of this, Sam decided she wanted the barbie jeep that was plugged in.  I said fine, but i had to unplug THAT too.  So Sarah & Hannah went back outside while i unplugged the barbie Jeep for Sam & Sarah.  I heard Hannah yell at me that something weird was there & i needed to come out and look.  I Normally blow her off for the second and she normally has to repeat herself..b/c truth be told, she normally is just talking to talk(kinda like her mom).  TODAY, that was NOT the case.  I walk outside to find an ARROW-as in a BOW & ARROW, less the a few inches away from the quads.  YES, YES, INCHES away.  I have the pic i'll post below to show you.  Being a woman, i didn't freak out at first, assuming it was some kid that accidentally shot the arrow the wrong way and it flew into our yard.  I ripped it out of the ground and took it into Paul, who had just gotten home from work..all i remember was him yelling "HELL NO" and grabbing it out of my hand and running towards the door.  There are three total houses that back up to our yard..so he knew it had to be one of them.  He drives off as i freak out..and finally it sets in.  THAT could have hit one of my kids.  As it sinks in..it was a arrow...a HUNTING arrow w/a razor sharp point.  HOLY SMOKES...i'm still numb 4 hours later.  I have to stop thinking about "what could have happened".  I KNOW if i had NOT believed in GOD before, i would have now.  I do believe in GOD...and i KNOW HE was watching out for my girls.  You can't even imgaine how traumatized i am right now. 

SO, Paul went over there, and came back.  He said that evidentally the guy was a grandson of the lady behind us, that her husband just died not to long ago.  SO, i'm guessing she's looking for anyone that will come over and give her some attention.  What was this idiot thinking..i DO NOT know.  So, Paul went over there and talked to his girl cousin, who said he took off BUT said he looked and there was NO ONE in the backyard.  YEAH, AGAIN, not sure where he got that from.  We were SQUEALING(i mean HALLOWEEN..i see a VAMPIRE SCREAM) in the backyard.  I even had to tell Hannah to use her OUTSIDE VOICE, not her ..HALLOWEEN VOICE.  Paul told her, NO, my wife and 3 kids were back there and the arrow landed inches away from their quads.  Anyway, he came back w/no real answer to what actually happened.  I was PISSED OFF(NOT at Paul, he definitely did the right thin), more and more as i actually "thought" about what happened.  SO, i jumped in the car and drove over there..and i told the lady, if he does NOT come over to talk to me i'm going to call the police and make a report.  She said, she's sorry and that he's sorry and she really seemed sincere.  You could tell she didn't have any kids..SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED if GOD hadn't been looking out for my kids.  I'm not really really religious..to those that know me know, we don't go to church, not because we don't WANT to go to church.  Just because i don't feel i can get ANYTHING out of it if i can't listen.  ACTUALLY, I DO go to church, when Hannah goes on Thursday.  Anyway, my point is..my girls are OK!  Now, don't ask me when i'm actually going to let them in the backyard again..i don't know.  I had just gotten to the point where i let them have a free for all in the backyard, as long as the back door was open, the gate was locked and i was in the kitchen or living room and could hear them.  I hope i have the courage to let them out again.  I don't know if i will. 

 

Please pray that i have peace with what happened and i get to talk to this guy.  He ran b/c he knew he really could have hurt someone(AGAIN, I CAN'T THINK OF THE WHAT IF'S). 

 

I HAVE to stop thinking about the what if's or i'm going to drive myself crazy.  I LOVE MY CHILDREN SOO MUCH..i couldn't imgaine if this crazy fool, who ran off, had hurt them..OR ME OR PAUL!  I hope i'm not thinking too deep into what happened. 

 

We went to dinner afterwards and it just wasn't fun.  I'm still all frazzled and i think rightfully so.  

If anyone has any suggestions please email me or leave comments.  We've decided that the only way i'll feel semi-comfortable is if the guy comes over to talk to us and tell us that he WON'T do it again.  If he ends up being a jerk then and acting like it was no big deal..we'll call the cops and press charges.  I did call a lady tonight from the local substation who was VERY NICE.  She listened to me..b/c i think that's what i really need right now.  She told me that i was doing the right thing b/c he MAY be living right behind us and we want to make some sort of peace(thankfully we're putting the house up on the market soon).  I want to look him in the eye and make sure he's really sorry and truly see that he won't be shooting bow and arrows in his grandma's backyard again.  If i don't get that feeling i'll still call the cops and report him.  The lady told me that it won't be a charge of something that he MEANT to do..i can't remember the name..but unintentionally shot the bow the wrong way.  I could really care less..but i just want to scare him.  I want him to see the girls that he could have hurt or more.. 

 

Ok, so maybe the arrow was further away than i thought..but VERY VERY close in the big scheme of things.  CRAZY..and i'll never know exactly where the girls were b/c a 4 year old can only explain soo much.  BUT, i can say, Hannah did a really good job telling me..i KNOW she had no idea what COULD have happened!  THANK GOD!   I'm definitely counting my blessing and holding my children extra tight for a while..and more than likely not letting them play in the backyard for a while.  Thank goodness we have a circular drive..we can go out in front and ride our quads for a while.