Haunting Memory

My husband Chris woke up at 2:30 Wednesday morning with a memory.

Six months after we moved into our home in 2000 our 6-year-old daughter Kristen had a seizure. This is a vivid memory for both of us. A seizure is a terrifying sight. We often talk about that night and think of our fear, her inability to remember her name or any of her siblings after she came out of the seizure, and the place we found her. Until two nights ago we didn't think about her eyes and where they were focused.

If you happened to read Sunday's post you know about Colin's closet/room. It was located just off the boys' bedroom. Down the hall from Kristen's room which she shared with her younger sister Kaitlyn. We kept a baby monitor in Colin's room. Nice and loud. We could hear him breathing. Every parent rests easier with that sound. Sometime after midnight (who knows maybe 2:30 a.m.) Chris heard a disturbing sound in the monitor. He ran downstairs and found Kristen in Colin's tiny room. Huddled in the corner. Staring straight at the ceiling just outside of his room. She was staring straight at a spot in the ceiling. The precise spot we would drill to find toxic mold 8 years later.