A Wallet & A Prayer! (a little like a wing & a prayer)

On Sunday morning when I was helping to get John's bag ready for church - scriptures, notebook and the like I noticed his wallet wasn't in it.  My instant thought,"oh, mmm, it must be in the car."

On Monday night as John was getting ready to leave to go home teaching he asked if I had had a chance to look for his wallet.  Well, uh, no - cause I didn't really know it was lost.  A slight sense of concern started to creep in.  After he left I went out in the dark and tried to comb through the vehicles - glove box, pockets, floor, under the seats.  You know the drill.  Not there.

Tuesday morning I checked the car John was driving the night before.  Still no wallet.  Once we were up and going that morning we talked about when it was last in 'our' possession.  We had all gone last minute shopping together on Wednesday, Dec. 23rd.  John & Parker needed to stop at WalMart (shopping for me).  They got me some good stuff too - pedicure & nice shampoo!

Anyway, back to the wallet . . . John was sure he had given me his wallet to put in my purse or had actually left it in the car.  He thought he had only taken his credit card into the store (made more convincing on his part because he had asked me if stores asked for ID).  Parker, however, was certain he had his whole wallet in with him.   

We combed through the cars again just to be certain it really wasn't there.  After John left for work, the kids and I (mostly I) proceeded to go through the house piece by piece to try and find it.  Our biggest fear was that it really was lost or that it had gotten thrown out.  We thought maybe the wallet had been in the bag with the shampoo (last purchase) and had gotten pitched with the bag.  By this time the trash truck had already been to our house.  All the wrappings & remnants of Christmas were gone.

I looked and looked - for 3+hours - couch cushions, cleaned my craft room & garage (where Christmas had been hiding), looked in buckets, under beds, dressers, bookcases, couches, chairs.  Nothing, nada!

At some point during all this that morning I had asked Parker to say a prayer.  Since I'm in the middle of it all and frustrated and more - I thought their prayers might have a better chance of being heard since it is being delivered with a better spirit.  I do have faith though, right? or I wouldn't be thinking as a parent to stop and do this?

Ok - the wallet wasn't anywhere at home.  I had checked and there hadn't been any charges so that was a blessing.  Our last resort was to check back at WalMart.  I was going to take a shower and get ready for the day - nevermind, let's just go.  I told Macey to go choose me some clothes so I could at least be dressed.  Just before we pulled out of the driveway I suggested we say another prayer.  Macey asked if she could say it this time.  Bless her heart.

Off to WalMart we go.  We went first to the hair salon and asked there.  She said no wallet had been turned in but to check with customer service.  So I got in the 'return' line to wait while Parker & Macey headed back to look at the toys together.  As I was waiting I sort of decided which customer service person I was hoping I would get to help me.  Sometimes there is one that seems a little more competent than the others.  One that seems a little more proactive or seems to give more customer service.  She was the one closest to me.

I did get her.  I explained the situation.  She looked behind her on a shelf, not there.  She went in the back room behind the locked door.  When she came back I could tell it wasn't there without her saying anything.  I knew she didn't want to tell me that.  Then she bent down & looked below her register on the shelves that must be there. As she stood up guess what she had in her hand?!  My immediate response was, "that's it!" Tears came to my eyes.  She said I was really lucky.  It hadn't gotten logged into the lost and found binder and it wasn't where lost wallets were suppose to be put.

I should have told her we weren't just lucky - it was an answer to two young kids prayers!

Lost on Wednesday.  Found on Tuesday.  Miraculously everything was intact - nothing was missing.  I immediately went and called John.  He was grateful for our efforts and our prayers. 

(Note to husband:  Lost wallets and lost keys are usually not attributed to any fault or misplacement by the wife.  Rather the wife is the seeker & finder of said items!  Love you.)