CHARLOTTE, WHERE ARE YOU?

This morning I'm finally taking down the rest of Christmas stuff. Yeah I know! My friend called me this morning as I went outside to take down the garland from our porch. I came in put down the phone and called for Charlotte to see what she was up to. No answer! I went into here room and called again, no answer! I went into my room and called for her, no answer! For about a minute I was running into each room and calling her name, and no answer! By this time I'm screaming her name! I go outside, thinking maybe she came out when I was on the phone! No Charlotte! Ahhhh! I run back into the house start screaming Charlotte's name, NO ANSWER! I run outside again and see my neighbor and say, "I can't find CHARLOTTE!" I run back in my house and my neighbor is behind me yelling her name too! When all of a sudden I hear a small voice say,"mom?" I see Charlotte's little face hiding behind the door in my closet. My neighbor saw that we were ok and left me to my emotions. As I held and gave her a big hug the panic left my body.  I talked to Charlotte about how she scared me when she didn't answer me. She hugged me and patted my back. Now that this little scare is over I can only imagine what Charlotte was thinking as she was sitting there in the closet. "There's no way I'm coming out here while she's yelling at me. I just wanted to play hide n'seek!"
I feel a little silly, but justified at the same time. Of course my house was crazy, as my neighbor is trying to help me find my child.  For a spilt second I was so embarrassed, but life goes on.  I'm just glad that Charlotte is okay!
(p.s. she is so grounded when she is ten!)