Mommyontheboysturf with her three sons

Mommyontheboysturf with her three sons

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Treasure Hunt

"Mommy, where is my puppy with the pajamas on?" Babyboy pleaded. For clarification's sake, it is a stuffed bear with a real-baby-boy sleeper on.

Instantly, my mind mentally rewinded the day trying fo find the last glimpse of Babyboy's favorite stuffed animal. Bike ride. Outside. Nap. Late lunch. Post office. Library. Bank. Kroger. Thrift store. SCREEEEEEECH!

Our first "pop" was into the thrift store to find some gently used books. Since we were "popping" in, I decided NOT to take the stroller and nodded in agreement to taking puppy in. That was my first mistake. You can't look through used books at a thrift store quickly. There is no rhyme or reason to the way books are shelved. You don't take a stuffed animal into a thrift store because like finds like. Babyboy's puppy suddenly multiplied to stuffed ducks, bears, and frogs. All I could see was a deep scour in the shower upon arriving home. Oldest and Middleson also did their fair share of sliding around the cement floor while I found some wonderful books on my treasure hunt. We found a 1969 copyright of "Around the World in Eighty Days". Cha Ching!

After seeing the time, we popped out of the thrift store as quickly as we popped in. I can vividly see NOW that puppy did not exit with us. At the time I was more concerned about keeping my three boys alive and into the van safely while carrying an armload of books, my keys, my wallet, my phone, and my sunglasses. Note to self: Take the stroller anyway even when you don't need it for a child. It acts as purse with wheels.

Then a myriad of errands took us all over our little town and back home for a very late lunch. Naptime. Bike ride. Dinner. Bedtime. Puppy is missing. Emergency.

I 9-1-1 the thrift store. "We were in the store this morning and we left my son's very special stuffed puppy. Well actually it is a bear that we call a dog, wearing a sleeper." I rambled giving way tooo many details. "What is a sleeper?" Miss Clerk asked. She clearly never had a baby that came with a registry checklist that says you need 8-10 sleepers. "It is like a full body suit with arms and legs and snaps." I described. "Let me check." After what seemed like a long time, she gave me the terrible news. "I'm sorry, I can't find anything like that."

Babyboy sobbed. It was sorrowful. "Puppy is my best friend. I know. I have an idea. Maybe next time we go back he will be there for me." Dagger in the heart. There would be no more puppy to go with us everywhere.

Supermom to the rescue. Already pajama-ed and ready for bed (yes at 8:30 pm), I threw on my clothes and left the house on a mission. Daddy and I even prayed before I left that we would find this prized possession.

I entered the store like it was the emergency room, desperate for help, and racing with the clock. The store closed in minutes. I was ready to pull bear/puppy from the arms of anyone who dared try to buy him. With the meanest face I could muster I searched every nook and cranny. I still saw the evidence of our visit earlier that day. Our stack of rejected books still lay neatly. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BEAR???

Next I headed to the stuffed animal bin, clawing my way through every stuffed thing I told my kids NOT to touch. Suddenly. My heartrate increased. My breathing quickened. Those black eyes and the cute little nose. Surely there isn't another one with a red bow. That's right. THIS was the bear that Daddy sent to me back in the days when he was trying to get my attention. This wasn't just any bear. I FOUND HIM! With a whoop of victory, I headed to the infant clothes to solve the rest of the mystery.

Like Inspector Gadget I reasoned that a store clerk found the animal shortly after we left. Obviously they thought a child found a sleeper from the rack and cutely attired the bear while mommy or daddy was shopping. WRONGO. That isn't the way it happened. Hmmm....the stuffed animals do not have a pricetag, but the clothing DOES have tags. I bet the sleeper got sent to the backroom to get tagged. I pleaded with Miss Clerk to go to the back and look for a sleeper.

"What is a sleeper?" she asked for the second time. I described it in full detail ADDING that it was very sentimental because Oldest, Middleson, and Babyboy ALL came home from the hospital in that article of clothing otherwise known as a sleeper.

12 verylongminutes later she emerged with THE sleeper!! Whooo Hoooo.

I left the store singing praises and speeding just a touch. For someone who is a full abider of the speed limit, this shows my exuberance and excitement in getting home. I pressed the pedal to the metal and went 37 in a 35mph.

A grand reunion was celebrated upon returning home! Today puppy/bear and his sleeper are laundered and heavily doted on by all! Babyboy's prayers were answered.

Oh the love of a parent for their child.

Oh the love of God for me. He'd do anything for me. He did everything for me.
He pursues me when I don't know I am lost. He puts me back together and He cleans me. He reunites me to Himself. He celebrates who and whose I am.

The Greatest Treasure Hunt I know.

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