Those Little Answered Prayers...

This little girl gave Matt and myself a mini heart attack yesterday while at the mall.

For those of you who don't know Brooke, know she's a wild child. Always up for adventure, and more days then not, will find her own adventure. Everyone loves her, and people draw to her because of her personality. She's basically a carbon copy of Matt's sister!

So, we went to the mall to buy some clothes for Matt and I. I was in Motherhood Maternity when Matt called my cell phone telling me Brooke ran off and he can't find her.

My heart skipped a beat. Knowing my innocent girl was out in the mall by herself scared me to death. I was more afraid that some sicko would take her. The longer she was gone, the shorter the chances were we would find her.

Matt told me he was letting Gabriel go up and down the escalators, and felt bad that he wasn't letting Brooke do the same, so he let Brooke go. He told her that she only go up and down the escalator and no where else! That didn't happen...

Brooke went up while Gabriel was going down and Brooke ran off into Sears. Matt tried hard to run up the escalator, but had no luck with people on it. He had to wait for Gabriel to get back up to go look for Brooke, but by the time he had Gabriel with him and looked in Sears, Brooke was no where to be found. That's when he called me.

I looked down stairs and even went to Godiva to see if Brooke wandered into that store (she's as much of a chocoholic as I am) but no Brooke.

I said a little prayer in my heart that Brooke would be safe, where ever she was. I instantly felt at peace, and a voice said "she's ok"! The worry instantly went away and I knew that we would eventually find her.

Matt and I both came out of Sears and Matt went back in while I had the two boys to look for her himself. He walked by a worker and overheard on his walky-talky that there was a girl missing from her mommy and daddy. He asked the guy where she was and he said she was in the toys section! Of course!! We looked everywhere, BUT there.

Brooke was ashamed. Matt told her she scared mommy and daddy and then picked her up and loved on her. She knew she did something she wasn't supposed to do. We always tell the kids that they are to never ever run off because there are bad people out there that could take them, and they seemed to understand. I guess her curiosity got the best of her.

She was gone for about half an hour, but it seemed like hours! We are so very thankful she was found and that she was safe!! I'm thankful for answered prayers and for the peace I felt when I prayed.