Lessons from Buggy Boo

I sacrificed my arm to save Buggy Boo.

That's not really a sentence you hear much, but hey, fellow mothers everywhere shouldn't blink an eye. They've probably said weirder. Like "We do NOT put Froot-Loops in our panties."

Let me explain.

We converted my daughter's bed from crib to toddler bed for her 3rd birthday in July. She adapted great, and rarely gets up or has issues staying in it. She's such a sweetie :) But since half of the bed is now open for her to get in and out, my Little Miss has a tendency to drop the stuffed animals she sleeps with during the night. (Yes, I've been woken up at 4:00 a.m. to the sound of pitiful wails. One night when she did this, I went running, certain she'd had an accident or had gotten sick, only to discover her pathetic whimpering of "I can't find my friends!", who had fallen on the floor)

One of Little Miss's "friends" is Buggy Boo, this tiny little rubber gloworm that glows for a few minutes after you hold it next to a lightbulb. It's a special toy, because we found it in my mother in law's hope chest after her death earlier this year, and Little Miss bonded with it.

Well, last Monday afternoon before her nap, we couldn't find Buggy Boo. Searched in the bed, under the pillow, under the bed... Finally saw the little thing on the floor between the bed and the wall. No biggie. I stuck my arm through the rails at the back of the bed and grabbed him...and couldn't get my arm out.

Did I mention I hate being trapped?

Yes, I'm the girl you'll hear next door in your dressing room at JCPenney, panting and gasping and banging elbows against the wall trying to get out of a dress that was a little too tight.

So, needless to say, when I realized my arm was not coming back through the slats, well -

Insert panicked cry here.

Little Miss started dancing around, asking questions such as "What's wrong?" "What happened", while I talked to myself in a weird mantra that sounded something like "its okay don't panic it's okay no it's not don't panic omg omg omgomgomgomg" I finally stood still (in the super uncomfortable, awkward position while kneeling on her bed, arm extended as far as it could go) and debated my choices.

1. Break the bed.

2. Send Little Miss for the butter.

3. Send Little Miss to grab my phone so I could call my husband.

A fireman.

Who was at the fire station.

Needless to say, #3 was not going to be an option I'd ever, EVER live down with him or his crew. I'd rather break the bed.

I was going to settle for option 2 when I finally managed to twist my arm to an even odder angle, gently pull at the rails, and wrench myself out. Painfully, but successfully.

So, like I said - I sacrificed my arm to save Buggy Boo. I got several bruises, a headache, and an accelerated fear of being trapped that will probably ensure I avoid dressing rooms for the rest of my life, but hey, Buggy Boo is safe and sound.

And like any good mommy, I'd do it again (though this time I'd be wiser and would simply move the bed away from the wall for my rescue mission, instead of creating a new rescue mission for myself)

Do you ever find yourself trapped without any good options?

Do you tend to put yourself in circumstances where hindsight (like moving the bed instead of reaching through it) slaps you in the face with a resounding DUH?

We all do it. But the difference is in how we handle it. I shouldn't have panicked when realizing I was stuck - afterall, if I had remained still and calm, I'd have done without the bruises and headache. But sometimes in the turmoil of life, we forget that we have something even better than a tub of butter. We have a Heavenly Father who leads us and guides us and loves us and wants the best for us. He's more than willing to help give us direction and advice - if we seek Him first.

I have to admit, I didn't really think to pray in those initial few seconds of being stuck. The panic was too loud in my head. Maybe if I had, I could have saved myself the pain.

Do you find yourself putting God as a last resort instead of a first in the various trials in your life? The Bible says in Matthew chapter 6 - "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

In other words - God before butter.

And hey, I'm pretty sure His righteousness includes not being trapped in your kid's bed, so, I'm all about that... :)