Lost in Disney

I think I'm finally brave enough to talk about Brooks getting lost while we were in Disney World. If you know me in real life then you know what a Mama Bear I am. You don't mess with my babies, my world revolves around them and Josh. I'm sweet as can be until something happens with one of them, then you better watch out. Even my kids will say, "Here comes Mama Bear, you better watch out!" haha! I'm constantly counting them when we are in public for fear of losing one of them. ALL that to say, please no negative comments. They won't be published and I've beat myself up PLENTY for this already.

The Sunday we were in Disney we went to Hollywood Studios. We stayed at the park for a while and then went to our resort to rest and planned to go back later in the day. We stayed at the Art of Animation resort. There are several buildings that make up the resort. Our room was in the Lion King area. We decided to take Brooks over to the Cars area because they had all the cars from the movie there and knew he would love to see them! After staying in the area for a while Josh ran back to our room for something and I took the kids to the playground.

This is not my picture but I wanted you to be able to see what I am talking about. Notice how the area is round, the benches are around the outside. You see how you would not be able to see your kids playing on it? We walked up and I told the kids to play and that I would be sitting right there on a certain bench watching.

Reece came to me a few minutes later with huge eyes saying, "I can't find Brooks!" At first I didn't panic, you can't see every spot at once so he could have been playing. I walked around a few times and didn't see him. My heart started beating fast and I saw some other parents and asked for their help. All the little kids playing stopped and asked his name and they ALL started looking for him. I had taken a picture of him that morning so everyone knew exactly what he looked like and what he had on! VERY important to ALWAYS do this!! One of the other moms left to get security as we all screamed his name over and over.

He was no where to be found.

About that time Josh returned from the room. I explained that we couldn't find him so he started to look. I was losing my marbles. I felt like the world was spinning around me and I was just there. AWFUL FEELING. I was shaking and crying and the other moms just put their arms around me, a stranger, and told me it was going to be ok, we were going to find him. I closed my eyes and just prayed.

About 30 minutes went by before security came to me. I feel like this was WAY WAY WAY too long. Maybe they were looking for him the whole time? I don't know but there should have been contact made with me or my husband IMMEDIATELY! They didn't know what he looked like so how did they even know who they were looking for?

Finally, a lady with security came riding up on a bike. She asked to see his picture. As she was looking at it I heard over her radio, "WE FOUND THE CHILD!!" As much as it was music to my ears I didn't believe them. So I asked her where he was. She told me to go to the front of the pool, so the other mom's walked me up there.(Seriously, us women stick together. They didn't even know me but were in this until we found him! I would have done the same!) As we were walking, my sister met up with us(she had been looking for him too). We rounded the corner of the pool and I saw Brooks with the sweetest lady! I basically threw Mia at Allison and RAN to Brooks! I cried and cried and cried, the lady that found him cried and cried and cried!

The lady that found him said she saw him walking by himself and knew something wasn't right. She had her little girl with her, it was her 5th birthday! She knelt down and asked Brooks where his mommy was. He told her he didn't know and he was looking for me! She told him she was going to stay with him until they found me. I'm SO THANKFUL for her! (We are now friends on FB!)

Brooks came off of a slide on the opposite side of the playground I was sitting. He looked up and saw an empty bench and thought I left. :( So, he went looking for me.

Oh, my heart. I've never been so relieved in my life.

This was shortly after we got back to our room after the whole ordeal was over. I held onto him all night. And the rest of the time we were there. And, who am I kidding, I'm still holding him! haha!