The WORST Feeling in the World...

The WORST feeling in the world ... when you think that someone has taken your child and you don't know if you'll ever see them again.  This happened to me today.  It was around 5:20pm, Nani and Grandpa had left 20 minutes earlier with Jace to take him to the new Spiderman movie.  Brooke asked me if she could have a donut.  I said yes.  She asked if she could have a root beer too.  I said no and I got her some water instead.  I gave Ty a bath - Brooke came in for a few brief seconds and then went back into the kitchen to finish her donut.  I finished Ty's bath and took him into his bedroom to get some pajamas on him.  He was hungry so I nursed him too.  I came out and couldn't find Brooke anywhere.  I figured she was in the backyard - she wasn't.  I thought maybe she was hiding.  I saw that she had helped herself to some root beer and spilled it all over the floor.  She must have thought I would be mad at her because I had said no root beer.  She must be hiding.  I quickly looked in all the hiding spots I could think of.   I yelled her name and rechecked the house, backyard, front yard, and garage.  Nothing.  By this time I'm really starting to get freaked out. I yell that if she does not come out from her hiding spot in the next 5 seconds she is going to have to do a time out ... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 .... nothing. The house is dead silent. This is odd. Brooke is my loud girl. She is NEVER quiet unless she is sleeping. Even when we play hide and seek for family night she can't be completely quiet. I start frantically rechecking the house and any spot she could possibly fit into all while screaming her name and praying in my mind that I find her.  Nothing.  I run outside and down the street looking for her.  I ask people along the way if they have seen her.  Nothing.  I start crying.  I start thinking that someone has taken my sweet, innocent, 4yr old girl. I start thinking of all the horrible things that might happen to her.  I panic.  I call my in-laws at the movie.  I cry to them that I think someone has taken Brooke.  I call 911.  Within 3 minutes 2 officers are at my door.  They start helping me search the house for her.  They ask me all sorts of questions about her ... what she is wearing, what she looks like, if she has run off before.  Paula and Robert show up with Jace and I just break down.  By that time there are 4 officers searching my house and the surrounding area. 10minutes go by - it feels a lot longer.  Then I hear one of the officers say "Is that YOU"... and then "We've found her."  OHHH,  sweet relief.  She was in the back of her closet, on the floor, in the fetal position with a sleeping bag covering her ... fast asleep.  The officers all take a deep breath of relief.  I still can't calm down.  I cry and cry tears of relief.  That is the WORST feeling in the world thinking that your child is missing.  I'm so thankful I'm holding my daughter in my arms tonight.