Lost child

Today I experienced something I hope I never have to experience again. We had just finished up a late lunch at Costco after our doctor's appointments. We left the table to load up into the cart. I turned around to pick up Ryan and put him in, but he wasn't there. I looked to the table -- not there. I looked where Joshua had gone to get his drink refilled -- not with him. I started calling his name. No response. My voice raised a bit more and I went back to the table in case he had dropped his cup. Not there.

I told the two boys to stay at the cart, and I frantically called his name and began searching the tabled areas as well as looking towards the exit. He had a red hat on, so I knew that would be easy to spot. However, I did not spot it. I was YELLING his name. Nobody stopped to ask what was wrong or if they could help. I was panicking. I did not know if somebody had grabbed him or if he had gone out the door, but my heart started racing (oh man, it's doing it again just typing this!). There were tons of people exiting that moment and I had to push through to them yelling and screaming his name. As I exited the buidling -- still not seeing my boy with his red hat -- one employee came nearer to me, but didn't ask if I needed any help.

I began scanning the covered entrance area -- as well as the parking lot -- and still not seeing Ryan, when a woman said, "I think my daughter has your son." I ran around the van loading up their order to see Ryan walking with this teenage girl. He ran to me sobbing -- by this time I was sobbing too. He told me he thought I had left him and so he was going to the car. (My tears are flowing like crazy now recalling my fear!)

I told him I would never leave him. He had gone out into the parking lot towards the first row of vehicles (where we were parked). Thank you God for protecting my son from being hit by a car -- and for this teen girl, whose name is unknown - for going after him.

We went back inside to where my other boys were patiently waiting for me. They were glad I had found Ryan. I just held him so close and told him I would never leave him and that I loved him so much and how worried I had been. He told me he was so scared.

Those few moments of having him gone from my sight in a very public place were terrifying. And even though my story has a happy ending, many do not. One of the saddest parts to my story is that nobody offered to help me find him. Nobody noticed a 3 year old wandering away and out the exit -- until he was finally in the parking lot. I know some people would say it was my fault for not having a closer watch on him, but he had been right behind me -- maybe 5 seconds from the table to the cart? 5 seconds was all it took for him to disappear.

I can only hope that if I am ever in a spot where somebody is looking for their child that I will do my part to help them. I am thankful for that girl who chased after Ryan in the parking lot today. Mostly I am thankful for God's hand upon my precious boy today