Date Night

We didn't have a solid date night planned when Friday night rolled around. Most of our date nights are after the kids go to bed and are usually pretty simple: making a fun snack, watching a show or movie on Netflix, playing a game, doing a project. Relaxing and low-key. Every now and then we plan something really exciting or get a baby-sitter and go crazy. Last week, Mike made my day by bringing me Thai food on his way home from class, which we enjoyed while the kids were busy napping and movie-ing. This weekend, one of our sweet trio stepped in and provided a full night of unanticipated fun by flooding our basement.

I was getting Emily down for a late afternoon nap and getting dinner started while the girls played. I heard the water for a couple minutes, but didn't think too much of it. The girls often play with the water a little bit as they wash their hands. Fifteen or twenty minutes later, little missy resting and pizza dough started, I walked downstairs to see what my little misses were up to. As I walked into the room, the carpet squished a bit under my feet. Alarmed and puzzled, I queried Maggie and Kate, "Did someone have an accident?"

"No, Kate had too much water in the sink, but I helped her turn it off."

Sure enough, the bathroom floor was soaked, as was the entire hallway. Minor puddles had even eked out into the storage rooms. Luckily, the majority of the family room and guestroom were unaffected. I was too flabbergasted to even react. I just kept saying, "I don't understand. How did this happen?"

I think I've finally figured out that I only heard the water for a little bit because once the water got high enough it probably didn't make much sound. It just quietly flooded the vanity. Every drawer in it. The floor. And the hallway. Just minutes before Mike was scheduled to come home. I called him, slightly freaking out, because that's not the kind of surprise I would want upon arriving home. And because I was at a loss how to begin.

This is the week after Emily ended up needing her forehead glued just like her sister, requiring my second trip to the ER this year (and third ever). Pretty sure she hit the bookcase. (I think it's strange that they will both have scars dating close to their 2012 birthdays...I am planning on keeping Kate in a helmet throughout the month of December).

So, yeah, I guess I am not getting any gold stars this week. But seriously, these things happen so darn fast!

I had a talk with the girls and had them practice coming to tell me if a similar situation ever arose, though I pray it doesn't. Kate's version: "Oh no, Mom. Water."

Mike really "bailed" me out. (Bad pun, I know.) He used our neighbor's shop vac to remove several gallons of water. Then we (mostly him) spent the evening and much of the night on our hands and knees soaking every towel in our house. Drying them. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Last, we borrowed a de-humidifier from his brother and have had that and a couple huge fans going the past couple days. They seem to have pretty much finished the job.

Keep your fingers crossed that we have eliminated potential for mildew. I am. It's almost to the point where it's kind of funny. It was definitely a memorable date night. And I guess it could have been worse...?