EVERY PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE

What a way to usher in the Summer...

We went to the park. Kids were playing and having fun. A little background information- there are two “sides” to this park. One is new and nice, and the other has older equipment and not so nice.

So, we started out hanging out on the new side. When I go to the park, I am always looking for my son's color clothing to keep tabs on him- that's the first thing I look for. That day, he was wearing red, white and blue Champion shorts and a dark gray/olive shirt with a scorpion on the front from a store called “Grisino” in Argentina. I can go on about the details of his clothing. This is important information to know – in case he gets lost...

I bent down to fix my daughter's shoe, and look up to locate my son. I looked around the park, looking for his red shorts. I looked a little more... oh- there he is (heart rate down, at ease)...no – that's another child in red shorts, more or less his age and hair color. I look more, hoping that that little leg peering out of the playground equipment is his...nope. I enter into panic mode. I swoop up baby girl and start scouring the park. I was about to start asking people if they saw him, when I looked to the other playground on the other side of the park. Looking for the red shorts. I spot them. I find him.

I run over to him. I start crying, tears of joy and relief. He looked at me like I was half crazy at first...or joking around...I think he got the idea though- that it was for real. That is how much I love him. In between my crying I told him: “I thought I lost you. I thought somebody took you. I couldn't find you. I looked all over. You have to ask me first or tell me where you are going. I love you and don't want anything to happen to you”. Imagine all that said with tears streaming down my face.

Little boy in the red shorts: found. A very loving Mama: relieved.