Lost and Found

So I lost my wallet for the first time.
I always thought that if I lost my wallet I would freak out.
I didn't.
I wonder why?
Maybe it was because in regards to loosing your wallet, it was actually kinda good timing:

• Only $4 cash
• My license in there was expired with a new one already on the way in the mail
• The wallet itself is probably 4 years old and falling apart so I needed a new one anyway

Or... maybe because I have misplaced my wallet so many times that I just knew deep down inside it was somewhere findable.  I'll be honest though, after 6 days of no sign of it, I was about to call it quits.  Not to mention I was 200+ miles away from where I last saw it.

So here's what happened.

Saturday night after a long day at the Temple and then the Beach we needed dinner.  Obviously cooking was out of the question but we all couldn't agree on any one place.  So we split up.  The girls went out to Taco Bell and the boys stayed home with the kids and ordered Pizza.  I hadn't used my wallet all trip until this trip to Taco Bell (one of the #1 things about the hubs is he always pays, lol).  So I pulled it out of the bag and headed out with my girl friends.  I ordered, payed, and took this awesome pic while waiting for our food.

Then went to get my order, it wasn't correct, I payed an extra dollar because what I wanted was more then what I got they made it in a snap and we were out the door.  I was a pig, scarfed my food down and practically finished my entire meal before we even got home.  I threw all my stuff in my taco bell bag and came inside to finish and make sure the kids were being fed (that was the boys job while we were gone).

The next day was Sunday, obviously didn't need my wallet that day.  Then Monday we packed up and headed back to Pismo.  We went to the Outlets right when we got back hoping to hit up the tail end of the Memorial Day Sales.  I got some shoes.  Jeff paid because I left my backpack, which had my wallet or so I thought, in the hotel room.  We got back and I was prompted to check the bag for my wallet, not there.  Awesome.  I figured I just threw it in some random bag while we were packing.

I spent all morning Tuesday going though EVERY SINGLE INCH of EVERY SINGLE BAG as well as the car.  Still no sign of it.  And this is when the worry started to kick in.  At this point there were really only two options: it was in my friends car who drove us, or it was in my other friends house where we stayed.  I called them both and asked them to keep an eye out for it.  They both searched diligently for me and to no avail.  And then I start to worry a little more.

I call Taco Bell, even though I'm 99% sure it is not there because of having to pay that extra dollar.  I was right.  What other option was there?  I knew for sure that was the last time I used it.  Taco Bell, Car, House... it had to be one of the three, yet it was not.

So because I hate caring a purse or even a wallet, I have this habit of putting my wallet in the bag with whatever I purchased.  I go to Target, I throw it in the bag on my way out to the car.  I go buy shoes, I throw it in the bag with my shoes.  It seems smart product, receipt, & wallet all in the same bag.  Not smart when what you purchase eventually gets tossed, like Taco Bell wrappers.

So this little habit of mine came to mind after yet another fervent prayer right along with me starting to think about calling the bank to cancel my cards.  I called the friend who's house we were staying at and asked her to do the un-thinkable... to look through her trash.  Please be mindful that there were 4 children 3 and under staying at this house with us and a dog.  That makes for a lot of poop in the garbage can.  I felt HORRIBLE asking, but it really was my last hope.  She is an amazing friend and was willing.

Thursday I am at a random park with my kids when I get a call from my mother.  She is of course worried about the wallet situation as this was the 6th day with no trace of it.  I talked to her about, oddly still calm and freaked out like I thought I would be if I were ever in this situation.  She hung up and then I got a call from my friend.  I was nervous because she was pretty quite when she said hello, but then she said she had good news!  SHE FOUND IT!  Blessings, blessings, blessings!  The biggest blessing of all was that she found it in the recycle bin and didn't even have to open that nasty garbage can.  lol.  But really, I was SOOOOOO relieved!  She popped it in the mail and it got here yesterday.

I was so happy to be reunited!

I am grateful that my mind was inspired to remember that silly and apparently not good quark I have.  And I'm grateful for friends who helped me search high and low to find it.  I felt so helpless being so far from the problem, it really was all in their hands.  They are the best!

Life is so good.  I am so blessed.

More of our awesome trip and Em's birthday to come soon!