the story with a happy ending

Last night as a family we went to a hot air balloon festival in a neighboring town. We met some friends. Unfortunately it was a little to windy to actually fly them but they had fireworks after dark. We had two other families with us. Between all of us we had 9 kids. It was dark and just hanging out waiting for the fireworks to start. M kept picking up L and bringing him back to the blanket. Then all of the sudden she was gone! It happened within seconds. We immediately set out search for her thinking she must not have gone far because we saw her just seconds before. We all do a quick peripheral search with one person staying stationed at the blanket. We come up empty handed. Now we are calling out her name, trying not to let panic over take me. Several people who were sitting by us notice our search and joined ranks, finding out her description and calling out her name. Another person asked if we had found her and went to call the cops. Crystal (my friend we were with) made a dash for the PA to make an announcement. Melissa (my other friend with us) was very calm and collected and was helping to calm my nerves and asked if I had prayed yet. At this point it had been probably at least 10 minutes, though it seemed like eternity. You can imagine my brain going a million miles an hour...will I ever see her again? did someone take her? how will we find her in all these people? please have someone safe find her! The cop came over and got her description and started radioing the other officers. My friends came in for another check to see if anyone had found her nothing. Back they headed out in all different directions. At this point I was fixed next to the cop. His radio cracks... there is someone who is lost with the fire department, no description yet. Please, please, please let it be my daughter. It seems like another eternity before they radio back with the description. The cop finally says the words I wanted to hear with ever fiber of my being. "We FOUND HER!" I followed the cop over to where she was, not really believing until I saw her. There were lots of people gathered around, I couldn't see her until someone stepped to the side and there she was right in front of me. I couldn't hold back the tears. The fire dept introduced me to the young man who had found her by herself. I blubbered out a thank you, thank you so much. He said to me, "it is okay, she is alright, everything is fine now." One of the fire dept people asked if she could have an ice cream and then he said, "see there are good people in the world." Oh how I loved to hear those words. I realized that I had so little faith in humans. Based on what we hear in the news I was trying so hard to fight off the worst case scenario that kept sneaking in, immediately followed with a pray to help me focus, stay strong and someone will find her. We followed him to the ice cream booth as I was holding both M and L. Melissa's husband Scott comes up behind us and takes L from me to help us get back to the blanket. Scott immediately upon seeing us called Justin on the cell phone to say we found her, they had still been looking and didn't know that I was going to get her. We then gathered back at the blanket all the of the wonderful people who were around us breathed a big sigh of relief. I am grateful for good people and good friends who jumped right in to help us find her. The hugs and words of encouragement gave me a peace that I otherwise may have not had. We stayed and enjoyed the fireworks, all of us holding our children a little closer and giving thanks to a Heavenly Father who is watching over us. I realize that I have a happy ending that some parents do not get, they long for but it doesn't become a reality. My heart goes out to them and the anguish they endure. I hope that we can all be a little more conscientious of those around us and when we see someone who looks like they have lost someone to immediately come to their aid. Thank you to everyone who helped us get our sweet daughter back in our arms.