missing child 101

we got our first taste today of the panic a parent must feel if their child goes missing. Sam went missing today. Before you panic and stop reading to call you should know he was found and is safe. It was quite a story.
I was doing a friend's hair this afternoon. Pete wasn't home, so we were on our with Sam and Will. As my friend was leaving I realized Sam was gone. We ran through the house screaming and searching for about 5 minutes, and he wasn't here. The doors upstairs were locked so I knew he hadn't gone out that way. The downstairs door wasn't locked, so I assumed he had gone out back. He wasn't there, but the side gate was slightly opened. Panic was setting in a little. It really set in when he was not in our yard, the neighbor's yard, or at Norma's. Thankfully Pete returned at this time because that's when I fell apart. We called the police, and they were here within 3-5 minutes and began their search. Thankfully we had so many neighbors to help look because I was so terrified I was useless. After about a 30 minute police search he was found. Where was he found you might ask? He was closed in our table ottoman FAST ASLEEP!!! WHAT!!!??? For those of you who know Sam well know that he has never once in his life laid down on his own and gone to sleep, much less in an ottoman that he had closed the lid on himself. I am now a believer that policemen can find anyone. :)

My immediate reaction was GRATEFUL that he had been found and was safe, and it was closely followed by humiliation for the hysteria and drama. For crying out loud, I called the police to find my child sleeping in an ottoman!! Let me explain the "crime scene" a little and perhaps more reason for embarrassment. We had been painting upstairs earlier today and that was still a mess. Sam had crumbled a chocolate cake all over the counter and floor while I was working. We had dirty dishes and lots of what I like to call "weekend mess". It looked like a disaster. Then top that off with the fact that I was a mother in hysterics who hadn't even showered today and you could tell. The backyard where the search was also taking place was covered with 2 weeks worth of dog land mines. We're looking like a real classy family at this point, but here's the clincher... Pete had found a funny add in his Handyman magazine for old people to improve their sex life and we had been laughing about it. Of course we left it open on the table. The page said "Sex.. It's never too late to learn something new", and it had 2 old people hugging. Yes, we look like really classy people.

After pulling myself back together I realize that we did everything right. If in fact he had been missing, then the first moments are the most important. I don't regret calling the police. I also don't regret my hysteria. In those crazy moments it became very apparent in ways that I can't even describe how much Sam means to me. The thought of waking up tomorrow without him weakened me so much that I couldn't even stand up. How does life keep happening if you lost a child? Pete and I were both afraid that someone had taken him. So many things were going through my mind. Was this my fault? Had I given him enough? Would we ever see him again? THANKFULLY he is fine. He has given us a story that we will be telling for many years to come.
I'm certain this is the first of many exhilarating moments we will have with him. We will definitely be sure to check the ottoman next time before calling the police!!
The ottoman where he was napping