Lost

Just when I thought the "run away" stage was over...

It is the day after Christmas.  Abe and I took the kids to pick up our "new" van today, and we spent the rest of the day as a family.  The boys love going to the mall--especially the East Towne Mall in Madison--so I convinced Abe to take us there to let them run in the play center.  It was a ZOO.  Seriously.  There were so many people there it was crazy, but all I thought about was letting the kids have fun after we ate some lunch.  The play center was packed too.  There was no place to sit, so we let the kids play and sat on the floor where we could find room.  We watched as they played for a good 20 minutes among kids young and old.  Suddenly, I didn't see Aiden anymore.  "Where is Aiden?" I asked Abe.  Joking, he said, "he was kidnapped".  Little did I know that would not be so funny a moment later.  Aiden was gone.  

I stood up stunned as Abe ran out of the play center looking for Aiden.  Austin was still playing close by.  I didn't panic.  It would be ok.  I stayed for a moment thinking Abe would find him a few feet away, or Aiden would come back to the play center on his own.  Abe came back with empty arms.  

I grabbed Austin and began down a strip of the mall.  I was still relatively calm despite the fact that there was chaos all around me, and Aiden was no where to be found.  He was wearing a bright red sweater.  We would find him, right?  When Abe and I caught up to each other, and still no Aiden, I began to cry.  At that point I would have run screaming through the mall (18 weeks pregnant), if I didn't have Austin in my arms.  Abe went one direction, and I went the other.  There was nothing left to do but pray.  With Austin in my arms, I stood in the center of the mall and prayed.  "Please Heavenly Father.  Please help us find Aiden.  Let him be ok."  Austin kept asking, "where is Aiden?" over and over again.  And all I could say between tears was "I don't know baby."  "I don't know."  Not a minute later, I saw a security officer and yelled for help.  He was also looking for Aiden.  And there he was.  Right in front of us, still running.  I screamed and cried "AIDEN!"  Aiden turned around and ran into my open arms.  I lost it.  I cried harder than I can remember crying.  Aiden started to cry too.  He put his hands up to my face and wiped away my tears.  "Please don't leave me again.  Please don't leave me again."  That was all I could say sobbing so hard that people started to stare.  On my knees sobbing, I held my children tight.  It was all going to be ok.  My kids were both safe in my arms.

I'm grateful for the 2 ladies who sensed that Aiden had run away, followed him, and helped keep him safe.  Aiden ran all the way to the Food Court before the security guard caught up to him, and even he couldn't catch him!  Looking back now, it must have been the perfect scene for a video clip on UTUBE titled, Mother Finds Lost Son in Crowded Mall.     

Today, I'm grateful for answers to prayers.  I held Aiden a little tighter tonight thinking of what my life would be without my special little boy.  Although Aiden may not understand that it isn't safe to run away, he DID understand how much it hurt me.  The moment I found him will always be with me.  Not so much the fear, but the love and empathy he expressed when he looked into my eyes and wiped away my tears.  This little boy has a lot to teach me...