My Terrifying Moment

For any parent that has ever lost a child, you will be able to relate to my story. It was Sunday, we came home from church, I made the girls lunch and Jake had to run off for a while. The girls were being good, Pieper was playing in the family room and Kennedy in the kitchen. My mom called and I started chatting with her. I see Kennedy tootle upstairs. She plays upstairs often by herself, so it was no big deal to see her do so. After ending my conversation with my mom, I headed upstairs to put Pieper down for her nap. After not seeing Kennedy in her room or in my room, I started calling for her. After hearing no response, I start looking around thinking she must've just fallen asleep somewhere or is hiding from me thinking it's funny. I keep yelling and it begins to be eerily quiet. I check everywhere. Behind the curtains, behind the chairs, underneath the beds, in our closets, underneath the blankets, everywhere. My heart starts racing the more I yell and the more urgent my tone gets. Am I just losing my mind??? I know I saw her go upstairs and now I can't find her anywhere??? I run downstairs, out to the garage, in the car, outside to the front and outside in the back. I really start panicking. What is going on! My mind is racing thinking about every possible scenario. I can't believe I can't find my own child in my OWN house. The fear was real and I was deathly afraid something horrible happened. It was like she just vanished. I ran downstairs to call Jake and to tell him he had to come home because I couldn't find Kennedy. Outloud, I said a quick prayer, "Heavenly Father, help me find her!" As I raced through my words to Jake, I had the impression to check her dresser. I don't even remember rushing upstairs, but I do remember flying open her dresser doors and seeing her curled up in a ball lying there in her dresser. A huge emotion of relief and love and every other emotion I had bottled up come flooding out. As funny as it may now seem to have lost your own child in your own house, the fear was incredibly real. My house is not that big to lose your own child to it. I know every nook and cranny and place to check. Or, so I thought. She has never done anything like this before and I hope, after our lengthy conversation afterwards, she'll think twice about doing it again. So... moms... if you think the only place you can lose a child is outside the home, think again... it happened to me inside my own home.