This picture breaks my heart.

It's a 4th of July tradition in Richfield for the kids to try their hand at catching a fish... with their bare hands.
Nifae was very excited for this and so was I, since I have seen this fishy thing since I was little.

When it came close to the time for the "fishing" to begin. I could not find Nifae. My dad had taken the boys to get a snow cone and they had been gone FOREVER. I walk the whole length of the park many times over. I could not find them anywhere.
Finally on my um-teenth lap I spotted Tommy, my dad, Owen and Nifae walking. Tommy and dad were holding Taco Time cups.
They had gone across the street to Taco Time to get out of the heat and and get some grub. I was trying to explain that I was looking for them and that, sadly, the Fish thingie had already begun.
I ran Nifae over to the water even though I knew all the fish had been caught. I wanted him to at least think he had been apart of it.

There were people everywhere, I mean.... EVERYWHERE!!!! Parents and grandparents lined the water watching their kids.
As soon as I snapped the picture above, I put my phone in my pocket and looked up and Nifae was gone.

GONE.

G.

O.

N.

E.

like gone gone.
Like , I could not spot him ANYWHERE.

I pushed my way thought the crowd and could not spot my son ANYWHERE. I started to panic. I told Tommy and we split up so we could cover more ground.
it was like a bad movie and we were living it. People everywhere and a child missing in the crown. WHERE DID HE GO... he was just here.

The kids were getting out of the water and the crowds started to thin. He was GONE!

I panicked when I circled the pond and met back up with Tommy, who didn't find him anywhere.

We had no choice but to go up to the announcer and see if he could send out that super lame-parent message: "There is a lost boy. His name is Nephi and he is wearing a white shirt and has brown hair and olive skin. Nifae, if you can hear this~ please come to the front where your mom and dad are waiting. "

we waited... and waited.... nothing.

This park is a full city block and the fish thing was in the opposite corner (diagonal) from were our family was set up.
I decided to call my brother who was over there to see if he had seen Nifae.

Sure enough.... He was there.

He walked across the park by himself with 50 million people all around~ in a park he has never been to.

Tommy and I ran over there and when I got there I just hugged and hugged and hugged him. I really thought I may never see him again. I know it sounds dramatic but so much time had passed I was SOOOOOOOo freaked.

Nifae said that he was upset with himself that he didn't catch a fish and that he was mad and sad, so he walked back to where his grandma was so he could cuddle with her.

OH MY! This little 4 year old will never ever ever ever know how much I love him and how scary that was for me and his dad. He will never know!