The Day We Lost Caroline.

After finishing piano practice with Kaitlyn last night, I started dishing up dinner for the kids. I called for them to come and eat and I didn't get an answer. So I looked in the sunroom and I couldn't find them. I called for them and Bridger came, but there was no Caroline. I asked the kids if they had seen her. They both said no. I searched every room, yelling for her--- no answer. I went outside to where Ryan was working and asked him if he had seen her. He said no. I told him that I could not find her anywhere in the house, so he began to panic. He went to the neighbor on the south of us and I went to the neighbor on the north of us. No Caroline. When the neighbor said that Caroline was not there I heard Ryan yell, "Oh No!!" I don't think I have ever heard more panic in his voice. He got a few more neighbor's searching for her and went to see if she had gone down stairs. I started looking everywhere I could think. I said a prayer as I was searching for her and then a story Ofa, Kayla's friend, told me popped into my mind. "Hide-n-Seek" I thought. So I went back in the house and started to search in all the places she likes to hide in when Ryan and the kids play hide-n-seek. I walked back in the sunroom and saw a pile of laundry that needed to be folded sitting in the corner. I started ripping through the laundry and there she was sound asleep under all of the blankets I had not folded yet. I lifted her up and still in my panic mode shook her awake and asked if she was okay. She looked at me like I was out of my mind. I have never felt more like crying and laughing at the same time in all my life. For a brief moment I thought of all of those parents who really do lose their children and my heart was filled with so much compassion and pain for what they go through. Thank goodness Caroline was just looking for some where comfy to take a nap. We had a little talk about how her bed is a much better option next time. Hopefully she understood.