Panic Mode!!

So the other day I was getting ready for work and 3 of the dogs were outside, Cole, Autumn and Ty. I could hear them playing and barking and had peeked out a couple of times but continued to get changed, hair up - that kind of thing. So I am about to leave and I let the dogs in and Ty came to the door and Cole came to the door.....no Autumn???
I stepped out on the deck and looked over the yard and didn't see her. I went a little further and noticed that my gate was open.....next panic set in.
I ran back through the house and threw my shoes on and raced outside and started calling her. I ran around the door run to see if she was anywhere near the fence and continued to call her. Dave who has just woken up from night shift came out to see what was going on and could see the panic and the terror in my face. I ran to the barn and nothing...raced up the driveway to look up the road and nothing...
At this point of course the absolute worst is going through my head, she's been hit by a car or been picked up by a passing car as these guys are highly sought after.
The shepherds were out as well so it could have been a possibility that they scared her off somewhere but I continued to call and still nothing...
I felt this crushing weight on my chest as I ran around hysterically calling for her and started sobbing. I know how quickly accidents can happen and because Autumn is my complete baby I knew I couldn't handle loosing her.
All of a sudden Dave was yelling that she was out in the pasture field with the horses. She was standing with Mia! I called her to come and she came with this bewildered look on her face. She was completely muddy and had burrs in her coat. All I could do was pick her up and sob into her fur. I am getting teary just writing this.
I just clung to her and sobbed and gave her kisses. I think I was hyperventilating too but I was just so relieved that she was ok.
I still had to go to work and looked a complete mess! My uniform was dirty from Autumn's paws and my face had makeup running down and my eyes were all bloodshot.
A quick change and face wash, make up touch up and I really had to go to work. I made it with minutes to spare. I was shakey and then felt completely exhausted. Even my co-workers looked at me and asked if I was ok. Which I guess I was, but if I could have not gone into work that day I would have preferred not to.
So long story short...Autumn is fine and I am reminded of how precious these little guys are to me. Faced with the prospect of having lost her sent me into such a feeling of despair...even for those few minutes. For any of you who don't have that connection with an animal...in my terms it would be like loosing a child in a playground and the panic feeling that you would have. I know she had a special guardian angel looking out for her as there was several elements there that day that could have easily harmed her.
That night when I came home from work, she got lots of extra lovin and of couse she snuggled up against me in bed which she always does. I hope to never have to experience that feeling again. Autumn is safe and cuddled up on my lap as I type right now...