Nothing makes your heart beat faster than walking up to a school and seeing not only a line of Sheriff cars on the facing street with a helicopter circling overhead. Well, nothing except seeing another mother with panic in her eyes telling you to watch out for a tall man dressed all in black - if you see one, run the other way.

Let's just say my heart was beating pretty darn fast by the time I reached my children's classrooms. The kids were starting to leave the school, but the helicopter was still circling, and when I reached my son's classroom, we learned that the kids had been under lockdown conditions - classroom doors locked, shades drawn, lights off.

They assured me they practice these things.

That freaked me out.

I guess it was a hostage situation at the apartments across from the school. The suspect was apprehended right as the final bell rang, and kids were released on schedule. I gathered my kids up, congratulated my son on his lost tooth, admired my daughter's new stuffed animal, and quietly sent thankful thoughts up into the atmosphere.

I know, I know... here I was trumpeting about my joy to have them at school once again, but dude. Today made me want to homeschool. Fleetingly.