The monkey loves to be outside with his doggies and jump on the trampoline. What I love about our backyard is that it is secure. The gates are locked and he is unable to get out. When he jumps, I leave the doors open and I roll up the blinds from all of our windows. I constantly check on him to see if he’s okay. It’s a win win. I get to do things around the house and he gets to play.

Wednesday, my husband, brother in law, and my dad were working on our roof. It had leaked and they were repairing it. They had the compressor going so our backward was louder than usual. I took extra precautions in making sure the front door was locked everytime someone came in or out. I also locked the door that leads into the garage because the garage door was opened, I didn’t want to risk the monkey making a run for it.

The monkey asked to go outside and jump by taking my hand and touching the door knob. I let him go and told his doggies to keep an eye on him.

I could hear him jumping on the trampoline but once the compressor started, I couldn’t hear a thing. After about five minutes, I went outside to check on him and I couldn’t find him. To my surprise the back gate was wide opened. I didn’t know that the guys had left it opened to connect the compressor.

And my heart stopped.

I ran outside like a wild women screaming his name. I was still in my PJs, hair a mess. I knew I looked crazy but I didn’t care. I knew he had gone down to the reservoir. The place that he is always trying to run towards.

As I’m running barefoot down the street, screaming his name, all I’m thinking is “Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay.”

There’s no water there, but it’s pretty easy to slide down, and it’s really deep.

Since I didn’t have my glasses, I couldn’t see him. But as I’m getting close I can hear him grunting. He was upset that I had found him and knew he had to go back home. He was standing right next to the edge, with his iPad to his side.

And I just hugged him and cried

This could have turned out so different. Our story could have ended in a tragic way. But it didnt.

And I’m just so relieved.

I kick myself for not checking the backyard, or for not making sure the gates were closed, or for not checking up on him more frequently.

But I have to remind myself that it’s ok. Nothing terrible happened. He is safe. We are fine.

We will be okay. ❤️