Deadline Day

When I heard, "Payton burned up Daddy's hay!" my heart stopped -- I did not run to grab my camera (I got that after spraying the hay down for an hour). Instead, I ran out the backdoor as fast as I could to make sure Payton wasn't in it. (He was hiding.)

I was cutting right into my newspaper deadline, trying to get it off to press before noon. Alyssa and Payton, to my relief, were outside playing. I had gone out to check on them and they were telling me how cozy warm in was inside the bales of hay. There were 4 bales, 2 were on the bottom about 1 1/2 feet apart and the other 2 laid across the top over the space, leaving just enough space for my 2 little kids. They wanted to have a fire to play like they were camping (I think they were remembering the Pioneer Trek we went on earlier this summer). I told them it would be fine to have a PRETEND fire. That wasn't good enough for Payton. Apparently, he knows where the matches are kept. He sneaked inside, climbed up on the kitchen counter and helped himself to a small box of matches from the very back corner of the cabinet, and went back outside. Meanwhile, I was hurriedly sending files via the internet as I received a couple phone calls. Alyssa came in and patiently waited for me to hang up before informing me that "Payton burned up Daddy's hay." Who knew Payton could even light a match!?!? I have thanked my Heavenly Father again and again that our children were not inside the hay when that match was lit.

Eli and I talked about fire dangers the rest of the day and also continuously expressed our gratitude that no one was hurt. My lesson: Get a babysitter on deadline day.