An idiot lost her village

So...

My mom painted an entire Christmas village for me. I also acquired people, a "pond", lights, and all other manner of tids and bits to round out a Christmas village. I have about 30 pieces.

Because it's so huge, I haven't set it up in years. The last time I can remember putting it up was Christmas of 2000. And that's the last time I remember seeing it.

I was going to loan it to Alcatraz to put on display this year for the holiday season and Daddy-O and I cannot find it anywhere, and I'm just sick over it. He and I spent several hours last night going through the entire attic and basement, the garage and shed, and every closet and crawl space in the house where it might be. And we can't find it anywhere. And obviously, it's not some small box that can be misplaced- it's at least 2 good sized boxes; I thought it was packed into 2 Rubbermaid containers! But we can't find them anywhere. We even started opening all other boxes and bags in case I'm wrong about how it was all wrapped up. We found my snowmen collection, all my various trees and their ornaments, lights and my nativity scene. We just can't find the village.

I've wracked my brain and I can't come up with much. I canNOT believe I would've given it away since my mother painted the whole thing. I also can't fathom that I would've loaned it out and not remembered to whom I loaned. I know it did not go to the Wild West with me and it didn't go to Armpit with me. I've moved so, so many times in my life, trying to remember a time line of where it could be is rough. But again, this was a HUGE box (or boxes) so I don't think it could easily be left behind. Also, it's a huge village so I haven't always had space to set it up every time I've moved so I think 12 years ago is the last place I lived where I had a large enough space.

After much brain power, we've brainstormed the possibilities of where it could be:

• left in the attic/ crawl space of the place I lived where it was set up last (and the odds of it still being there 12 years later isn't good obviously)
• left in a long ago friend's garage who left me store my belongings for 6 months
• a long ago ex might've taken it by accident.. 

I don't really think it was in the garage because I helped the woman move. And I don't think the ex took it long ago because he sent me a condolence card after my mom died AND he also sent me an email a few years ago to let me know he had some pictures from when Mac was a little boy. He was concerned that I didn't have copies and was willing to mail them to me. I just don't think he would keep it if he found it. 

The village is gone. Breaks my heart...
Mags