Accidentally moved/deleted download stack from dock...how do I get it back?

Help!! I was downloading some files tonight and moving them from my downloads stack (on the dock) to a (documents) folder as I went. (Lots of small pdfs.) While trying to move one, I must have accidentally grabbed the downloads stack icon and dragged it. As I was placing it in the folder it looked like a puff of smoke (or something disappearing) and now it's not only missing from my dock, but I can't even locate it! I tried with Finder and there is nothing. I see others with this issue are directed to a Home menu (I don't see that option anywhere), or to the Users file (Not sure where that is either). My trash is empty...so it's not there. I tried a search in finder, no luck. What SHOULD I be doing? Where SHOULD I be looking and how do I get there? Can someone please help me out...my experience with Mac is about 2 weeks...I'm very new to it so step by step with the least possible amount of jargon would be GREAT. THANKS!! 🙂