We have 5 children, the oldest is eight and there are times once we're on the road, that doing another head count, I'm sure we've left one. Usually it's just that someone ducked right that minute and we do have them all, but it makes my heart skip a beat all the same.

Growing up in a family of 9 children I don't know how my parents kept us all together. Well, turns out there was a time they didn't, I was about 4 when we were visiting friends out of state and after lunch and some leisurely catching up I imagine the adults moved outside as time to leave drew near. Getting children settled into seats, making sure to have the diaper bag, sending each child for one last drink and potty break before embarking on the trek home and continuing to exchange news and tidbits all the while.

In the meantime, I sat in the corner of the living room, rocking a baby doll, just quiet as a mouse and probably in my own little world if I didn't notice that most everyone had gone outside. I don't know if this was entirely characteristic of me at the time but surely it must have been if they left without noticing my absence. Well by the time our friends found me inside the house, it was too late to flag down the van and the cell phones of 25 years ago if they existed at all were only for the very wealthy (and we didn't quite fit into that category) so there was nothing to do but wait and hope for a swift return of my parents.

As it turns out their return was not swift, it was a whole 2 hours before my parents returned for me, so it must be I was the quiet one of the bunch. Either that or they were just too tired after a day of traveling to count past 6 and just hope we were all onboard, I'll have to check with Mom on that one.