Why I Will Never lock the Bathroom Door Again

Melissa here-

In honor of Z2's birthday, and the fact that they are growing much faster than I want them too, I would like to share the following story. Never a dull moment around here. This really happened to me Monday morning at 9:45, March 28, 2005 . I can look back now and laugh (like both of my sisters did when I called them ) I hope this brightens your day!

I don’t know what was going on. Either God was bored, or my angels were on break, but that morning I walked into the bathroom. Noticing that my two children, Z1 (4) and Z2 (2) were otherwise occupied, I was quite happy to have a moment to myself. To ensure my two moments of peace, I closed the bathroom door and locked it. I never do that. Usually the kids just come right in, so I try to be as quick as possible. Not today, I told myself. They are occupied and I am going to the bathroom on my own, just like a big mommy.

So I do what I need to do and wash my hands. I turn to the door to undo the lock. It just turned around in circles. I tried to open the door. It was frozen. I was trapped. I swear to you, that bathroom got about two feet smaller instantly. I tried a little harder to get the door open, becoming frantic to get out. When I realized the door was not going to open, I began to panic. "Okay, okay, think,okay, thiiiiiink," I told myself. "Check your air supply." Air vents? Check. Since I was in the bathroom, I would have plenty of water should I be stuck for a long period of time. Okay. And we're breathing. I begin thinking about how long I may have to be in there, knowing that Brad would not be coming home for lunch. Then it hits me. I am locked in AND MY CHILDREN, AGES TWO AND FOUR ARE ALL ALONE IN THE HOUSE!!!!!! (And there are two Easter baskets filled with chocolate just waiting for Z1, my expert climber, to scale the refrigerator and rescue them!) Panic comes back!

By this point, about 20 minutes have passed, and the kids have discovered that I am still in the bathroom. Z1 is trying to get in. He tells me, “Mommy, I’m ready for you to come out now! Now, Mommy! Now!” No kidding! After he figures out that he can’t get the door open, and I can’t get the door open, he tells me,”Okay Mommy, I’ll go get you some books to read.” (I’m dead serious). My little boy starts slipping books under the door to me. One always wants reading material in the bathroom, but books on salmon and lizards was not what I had in mind.

I started thinking, “What are my tools?” I begin scrounging through the drawers. Had it been MY bathroom, no problem. But I was in the children's bathroom. What am I going to use, a rubber ducky? The door hinges were on the inside, so I managed to get one out using a hair pick I found. The second hinge, however, refused to move. By this point, the kids are playing outside the door. I see tiny little fingers beneath the door. We start playing hand games and I began to wonder if I could get a phone through there. Luckily, there was about one inch of space between the carpet and the door. After much direction, Z1 brings me the home phone. Doesn’t fit. So after much MORE discussion I finally get him to get my new cell phone (much thinner than my old one, thank you Angie!) out of my purse and he shoves it under the door. God love my child! I call my husband at work.

I tell him what’s going on. He LAUGHS at me! I gotta admit, if I was on his end, it probably would seem pretty funny. Thankfully, his office was about ten minutes away. After he announced to the office why he has to leave, and they getting a good laugh out of it, he makes it home to let me out. He laughed the entire time he came up the stairs. Thankfully, the door handle had been put on backwards, so my husband unscrewed the handle and was able to get me out quickly.

Thank the Lord for the drive a child has to be with his Mommy and for tiny cell phones!

So, the moral is, have a wonderful day and think twice before you lock your bathroom door!

Yours,

Melissa