Deja Vu

So, when we were in Mexico the kids enjoyed spending their evenings at the teen "night club". They met a few other kids who were also staying at the resort and they all had fun together. And I was cool with that.
But on about our fourth night, at roughly 1:00 in the morning, I woke up to discover that the boys weren't back yet. I wasn't sure I should be worried, but it was so late. (!)
And they hadn't been out this late before.
And our cell phones didn't work in Mexico. (OK, they would work, be we are entirely too cheap to pay the exorbitant fees.)
So we couldn't just call them to inquire of their whereabouts, or whenabouts (You know, 'When about are you fixin' to get back here?'), or any other abouts.
Therefore, panic was the only reasonable response I could muster up. Only, I was way too tired to put realistic energy into my panic mode. So I woke up Brian and told him the situation. And asked him to go out looking for them.
(I was tired, remember? I felt bad for asking Brian to go out, but I just didn't have the energy to get out of bed, myself. And I couldn't call myself a mother if I just went back to sleep knowing my boys were out there somewhere, probably getting attacked, or something. So, I did the best I could. I sent someone else! And I tried to stay awake while I prayed for them all. *wink*)
And every now and then, I also sensed some anger rising in me. What were those boys thinking by staying out so late? Didn't they have any sense of respect for their dear mother who was struggling to stay awake while they were probably getting torn to shreds by some crazy tropical-ish animal? They could have at least called the room!

In the end, the boys came back on their own. (Read that: Before the resort security team found them and TOLD them to come back.) They weren't getting attacked, torn to shreds, or even causing trouble. They'd simply gone with their new friends to walk along the beach and wandered a bit further than they had realized. Since Brian and I had been asleep every other night when they'd gotten back from the teen-thing, they figured we didn't really care what time they turned in. And calling never crossed their minds, as they weren't aware they could use any ole phone in the resort to call us.
At first, I wasn't willing to accept their excuses as valid. I was a worried momma, and I wanted them to pay.(!) Until God's Spirit allowed me to remember a time when I was a senior in high school - out late with friends. We weren't getting into trouble. We were just having something to eat at Denny's and totally lost track of time.
I didn't know my mom was at home, worried sick about me.
I had no idea she had sent my dad out driving around, because she was just sure I was in a ditch somewhere.
Calling to let them know where I was at such a late hour never crossed my mind. I mean, I knew I was fine - so what's to worry?
And that's when I got it. A little feeling of deja vu. I had a sudden and instant wave of understanding for my boys, and all was forgiven.

BUT, we were very clear the next night about expectations and responsibilities. *smile*