My heart hit my stomach

The kids and I were wrestling in the boys room when the doorbell rang. We all come barrelling down the stairs like a full herd instead of the small herd that we are and answered the door. It was the UPS man. He had a package for me that needed to be signed. So I did and he went on his way.

I love getting packages. It's like a small 5 minute Christmas while you rip open the box.

It was a garden flag that I had ordered to go by our mailbox. An Auburn flag that is. War Eagle. Ahem, where was I? Oh yes.. so I assembled the flag and the kids and I went outside to put it up. While I found the perfect spot for it, the kids ran barefooted in the yard and jumped in puddles that the rain had left from earlier in the afternoon. While doing all of that, Kent came home from work. We admired the beauty that is Auburn and came inside. Kent asked, "Are you missing something?" while holding my engagement ring in his hand. I was shocked and asked where he found it. It was sitting on the rug by the front door. How in the world did it get there? So, I went and looked on the kitchen counter where I had left them this morning and they were gone. Heart.in.stomach.

Sidenote: I am rarely without my rings. I took them off this morning because after I ran, my fingers were ridiculously swollen. And I wanted to give my ring finger a chance to heal because I have formed a mysterious rash in the same spot my rings sit.

I asked the kids if they had seen them or gotten them. "No" was their response until I told them not to lie to me. A quiet "yes" came from Zoey. I asked her where she had them and she told me the kitchen table. So I looked there. Nothing. We told everyone to start looking for my wedding band. I looked everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Inside, outside, under the stove, under the fridge, everywhere. I was seriously beginning to panic just thinking about losing such a precious ring that is a symbol of my union with Kent. I decided to look in my jewelry box to see if they stuck it in there and sure enough, like a needle in a hay stack there it was. I thanked God for letting me find it and the kids got a lecture about not playing with my jewelry.. EVER.AGAIN. They are also having to go to bed early after baths. I'm sure that isn't going to go over well, but OH MY GOODNESS!!

So yeah.. great times.