False Alarm

After church today, I had to stay for our monthly YW planning meeting. Matt and I had decided instead of taking two cars to church, he would just wait around with the kids until I finished. Off I went to my meeting leaving Mattie and Reddin with Matt. We got done with the training portion of our meeting and split up into class presidencies to do our planning. There I was planning with my Beehives, and all of a sudden I hear a loud noise along with a automated voice telling us to exit the building. I tell the girls to gather their stuff and we head outside. As I am walking out the side door I am trying to think if there are any other young children at church still besides my daughter, and I say out load, "Oh please tell me that was not my child that pulled the alarm." I go back into the church and cross over to the other foyer to find Matt and the kids. I say the same thing to him, and he indeed confirms my fear. It was Mattie who pulled the alarm! I ask her why, and she goes and hides under the pew in the chapel. I pull her out and tell her we need to go outside. When we get outside, everyone knows that it is Mo who pulled the alarm. Most are happy to have gotten out of their meetings early, but poor Mattie is so embarrassed. I take her back inside to Matt, who is trying to assist the Bishop in resetting the alarm. The firemen come, and I apologize to a very nice fireman. He tells us that it happens all of the time and that its ok. I have Mattie on my lap and I am trying to explain what it was that she pulled and why we don't pull it. And when the fireman speaks to her, she loses it and starts crying hysterically. She starts begging to go outside to the car and leave. Matt takes her out and I can see her jumping up and down not wanting to go back into the church. I leave Reddin with someone and go outside to tell Matt that I will take her to the car and sit with her. She clings to me and is crying so hard. I almost start crying with her, because I feel how sorry and embarrassed she is! How does a 3 year old understand these emotions so much?! We talk in the car while we wait for Matt and Reddin to come outside. She loses it again when the fire truck drives by us to leave. Finally Matt comes to the car and we leave too! Of course Mattie didn't know what the fire alarm was when she pulled it, but you better believe she does now!