The scariest day of my life

Today has officially been the scariest day of my life, and trust me I have had my share of scary days, but today I saw my life flash in front of my eyes! We were at the Smyrna park, which was PACKED, John, me, Jackson, Elena, my Mom, Aunt, and nephew. My Aunt and I had been talking about how I never lose sight of my kids, and she was telling me these horrible stories about attempted kidnappings. Anyway, so we were all playing and having fun. I had Elena, and I THOUGHT John was watching the boys, apparently my Mom had been watching the boys play hide and seek, so John thought she was watching them the whole time, and he was just watching them a bit. So he noticed he couldn't see Jackson, and then asked if I knew where he was, I totally freaked, we started searching the entire playground. I was holding Elena at the time, and was starting to really freak because my nephew said he didn't know where he was, they had been playing hide and seek. So I gave Elena to my Aunt, and we're frantically calling him, running around the whole playground, people are staring at me. I swear I have never been so afraid in my life!

This all happened in just a matter of probably a minute or two, and while I know some people probably wouldn't have been terrified, I am not used to just letting the kids go without watching them the whole time. I don't even feel comfortable letting Jackson go in CEC without me knowing where he is the whole time. I just saw my life flash in front of my eyes, never seeing him again, Elena being the only sibling, etc, I was just completely utterly horrified. I was afraid that maybe somebody taking him ( thanks Aunt Les for the horror stories, when I already worry enough) or even just him wandering off and getting lost somewhere. So he heard us calling, and came out from his hiding spot, I see John walking up with him, and I just run for him, hugging him with tears welling up in my eyes. It took me quite a few minutes to calm down, stop the tears, and collect myself. Maybe a little dramatic for some, but I honestly can't live my life without my children, it would kill me, or might as well, because I truly wouldn't have a reason for living. I had to send the kids off with my Mom and Aunt for a minute while John just held me trying to get me to calm down.

Right after this fiasco, John was holding me trying to calm me and we see a Mom chasing her one son, while holding the other son. He was running into the parking lot and I swear he was only like two feet away from getting hit. John and I are watching this like it's in slow motion and we scream " Stop". Fortunately the car saw him, just as they were about to hit him. It was just awful!!! So after all of this horror, I decided I had enough of a scare for one day, and we headed home.

On the way home, Jackson and I had another talk about strangers and what to do if a stranger tries to get him to go with him. We spent the whole ride talking about it, and I hope he remembers and practices what I taught him. So I am just feeling thankful for having both of my children safe at home.