Cast your cares

All this past week, I have been on birthday party lock down compounded with two weeks of separation from kids looming over my head and under my radar is this uglier, scarier thing.

And I can only talk about it now because I have some news.

We have some friends, C's 'girlfriend" of 5 years from school and her parents. They are so cute, more like brother and sister. They are tight and close in the best innocent, unspoiled male/female friendship sort of way.

I just saw her and her mom two weeks ago at our last swim meet of the season. C and I got huge hugs and grins and promises of see you in August. Because she, her little sister and mom...they headed back, two weeks ago to visit family in Lebanon for 2 months.

I've left messages. Their cell phone mail boxes are full. They haven't called back. I've tried to reach them by email. No word.

Until today.

I got an email. The dad is in America. He was only there for a week. He's back in the States and is trying frantically to get his wife and two girls out. The wife is also Lebanese. The kids, being born in America, have dual citizenship. It's just surreal and it SUCKS.

One minute I'm hugging an enchanting, spunky, smart, beautiful little girl with crystalline blue eyes....one who has stolen my son's heart.

And the next, I'm wondering how the hell things go to a handbasket so quickly.