bliSsFulLy hApPy to pure TERROR in moments

Today when I got home, my kids were already home.

I see Emma in the back yard playing with Ellie.

I go in and JJ and Emma have helped Ellie do her homework.

Ahhh, good kids.

Elsie runs to play with Emma, Ellie, and Emma's friend.  Emma gladly lets Elsie play.

Ahhh, good girl.

I was having one of those good kids moments...

The house was clean...very unusal.

Elsie comes in because it is cold.

She hangs out with me.

I hear Emma and her friend come in.

Emma comes up the stairs and tells me Ellie is in the basement

She locked the door so that Ellie could not get out.

Ahhh, good daughter.

About 20 minutes later I decide to go down and talk to Ellie.

No Ellie, I yell up to Emma where is Ellie?  Emma replies she is in the basement.

"NO SHE ISN"T  WHERE IS ELLIE?"

We start running through our house yelling for Ellie.

The door is most definitely locked so she couldn't have gotten out.

Still there is no sign of Ellie anywhere.  In fact her coat is missing and her shoes.

Now I am freaking out.  It has been 20 minutes that I had thought she was playing down stairs. 

I ask Emma if she really brought her in.  Now she says, "Well, I thought I did."  THOUGHT!!!

I run out of the house to the neighbors house.  She is not at any of them.  

I am starting to PANIC.  I go to get in the van...NO KEYS!!

Jeron is out of town and not answering.  I tell JJ to watch Elsie, and Emma to keep looking for Ellie.

Just then my cell phone rings.  I am hoping it is a neighbor telling me they have Ellie.  It was Jeron.

WHERE ARE MY KEYS???

He can hear the panic in my voice and tells me calmly where to find them.

I find them and run our the door.  I see Emma, and she still has not found Ellie.  Panic is intensifying.  

I get in my car pull out and head down the street.  I see a man walking with a little boy and little girl.

I almost turn but thing not to, and head towards the man with the kids. 

As I am getting closer they come into better view.  It was a guy from my ward with his son 

and MY DAUGHTER.

I drive to them and try to hold back the tears.  I actually did.  SHOCKING I know.  

He had just gotten home from work and thought he saw Ellie.  He went in, set his things on the counter, and had a nagging feeling that Ellie was a little too far from home.  When he got back outside she was in the yard that was behind his cul-de-sac.  I never would have looked where he found her.

I can't thank him enough for caring enough to go back outside.

Moments like that make my heart stop.  I seriously went from having a "Life is Bliss" moment to pure terror.  

I am just so thankful that he cared enough about my family to go back outside.

I could cry now just thinking about it. Okay, yes I am.

Later tonight when Ellie took him a plate of cookies he said it wasn't a big deal. 

Ohmygoodness, yes it was.  He literally saved my sanity if not her life.  

Thank you!!!