Every Parent's Worst Nightmare

Yesterday the boys and I went to New Smyrna Beach for the day.  My brother and his family are staying there for the week, along with my mother for a couple of days, and we decided to visit with them.

We had a great day at the beach, besides the fact that a HUGE wave overtook me AND MY SUNGLASSES! Errrr.... :)

When we all decided we had enough sun, sand and salt water we started packing up our things and making the hike up the long wooden ramp to find our cars.  My father's beachhouse, that my brother was staying at, isn't directly on the beach, but about 1/3 of a mile down AIA from this particular ramp.

I lead the charge, followed by Ashton and my mom.  We got to the showers and I had asked where Ethan was.  My mom said he was with Uncle Heath.  We continued to shower off, clean off the buggy boards and then proceed back to the group.  When I found my brother, Ethan wasn't with him.  I asked him where he was and he said that he told him to go on with me...which at the time my brother said he could see me at the top of the ramp.

Appearantly by the time Ethan made it to the top of the ramp we were way out of eyesight (we had gone around the back of the restrooms to the showers not knowing to wait on him) and he felt lost.  He remembered his way home to the beachhouse, which included crossing AIA all by himself and heading 2 blocks home on a very busy 4 lane road!!!

In the meantime we were all completely beside ourselves.  We quickly started yelling his name, branching off in several directions trying to find him.  We had probably 40 other beach goers searching for him as well, some even in their cars!  I have never been so petrified in all my life.  I was starting to hyperventilate and was close to blacking out a few times.  I couldn't catch my breath and felt like I was walking around in circles.  At one point I simply fell to my knees and begun to pray!

My mom had the thought that perhaps he had gone home so I ran up the road to the 7-11 and saw him no where in sight.  I thought, "no way" he would have been able to get home that quickly!  So I ran into 7-11 and dialed 911.  After giving the description of Ethan thru sobs and tears I made it back to the beach to search some more as we waited for the police to show up.

Ashton at this point was sobbing himself.  Incredibly fearful that his brother had been taken.  All I could think about was "Is he afraid right now?", "is he being harmed?", "Is he wondering why mommy isn't helping him!"  Oh the terror of those thoughts!

My mom decided to go all the way to the beach house and thankfully, by the Grace of God, Ethan was safe and waiting there for us!  Oh glorious day!!!

We shouted to those helping us that he had been found just as the police came upon the scene.  I told them he had been found.  All in all, it was the most terrifying 30 minutes of my life.  Everyone was crying.  The adrenaline came crashing down.  My body felt exhausted.

I came to the house, obviously squeezed Ethan really hard and then we had an impromptu lesson on what to do, where to go if this should ever happen again.  Man, I hope this NEVER happens again!