One of those days...

This morning started off great. The boys got up, we ate decent breakfasts and then the boys played around for awhile. I distinctly remember Elijah saying, "Look, Ma," and "cranking" his diaper box with a key. My key. The only key to my car. The only key that can even get me into the car for the next eight days. I didn't think anything about it, espcially since he always leaves his keys in his car.

Ezra took a nap, I bathed and when he woke up we all ate a little lunch. After lunch, we all got dressed and at about 1.45 we were all ready to go. I was happy because I had planned to leave around 2. I needed to go by the bank for Ronnie, the register of deeds to get Ezra's birth certificate (for his lifetime hunting license that my parents buy the grandkids for their first birthdays), I was probably going to stop at Hobby Lobby and then go to my mom's and my grandma's before we returned home later this evening.

But at 1.45 all of my plans came to a staggering halt. I went to Elijah's car, but my keys weren't there. I looked around at the toys he'd been playing with. No keys. I looked where I normally keep them because he's actually good about putting things where they belong. No keys. I looked on my desk, under furniture, in the couch cushions, all around the recliner, everywhere I could look. I asked Elijah where they are. He claims he doesn't know. Great. So here it is 3.30 and I still have no key. I am beginning to believe that I will be stuck here for the next eight days with no way to venture out into my little corner of the world.

I'll be honest. I got really mad. Like super frustrated. I have stuff I have to get done. Why couldn't he just show me what he did with the key? I went to my room, but the longer I was in there the madder I got. I called Ronnie, but he just irritated me because he was on the phone with me, but talking to someone he was with (yeah, he's at work, he kinda has to do that regardless of what's going on with me), I tried looking some more. Everything in this house started to tick me off. I was literally about to explode. I could feel it coming. I had to get out of here.

I looked at Ethan and asked him if he would watch his brothers for just a few minutes because Mama had to chill. He agreed and off I went out the door. Not like I was gonna drive away, right? I just needed some fresh air. I figured I'd check the mail since it probably hadn't been checked since last week this time. And to my surprise I received a note from a dear friend. My mood started to lift. Getting that note made me smile. After I read the card, I tucked it back in it's envelope to preserve until later and as I did it began to rain. I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of the fresh drops. I stopped and let the fat drops land on me. It felt good. I walked closer to the house and when the rain started falling real good, I twirled around like a little girl. Until I got dizzy. And when I stopped, before I opened my eyes, I heard a voice say, "Hey, it's raining and you're gonna get wet!" Snapped back to reality just like that.

But before I went back in, I made Ethan come out in the yard with me and we danced. Not long, but we twirled around together. It was fun to just let everything go and spin around for a moment with my amazing little boy. Who knows how much longer he'll do that with me. I mean, he starts kindergarten next month. After the rain washed my cares away and it really started to pour down, we headed inside, dried off and continued the search for my missing keys. Still no luck.

UPDATE
It's 7.45. Still. no. key. I have looked everywhere a two-year-old could possibly think to put a key. Wait. Maybe not. Because I still haven't found it. Err. I have asked silly questions. I have said we needed to go to Gran Jack's and did he want to go. I have asked him straight up where it is and he tells me it's in the car (which is locked and he hasn't even been outside today). I bribed him with ice cream. He even took me to where he "knew" it was, but it wasn't there. There being outside, on the ground, beside the car. I'm really losing my mind here. And my sweet grandma fussed at me saying I needed to go to WalMart and get a new key, should have had an extra. Thanks, Grandma. Didn't think of that one. So I tried explaining to the 75 year old that it has a special chip and costs a couple hundred per key. Still not sure she understood...probably still thinks I'm just stupid for not having an extra. Oh well.

ANOTHER UPDATE
I searched for the blasted keys all afternoon. I looked everywhere. And then everywhere again. Fridge, pantry, desk, tv stand, boys' rooms, my room, couches. No key. I knew there were some items accumulated  under the couch, in that section where that fabric stuff holds everything in. Aggravating when you need to get something out, that's for sure. I dug my hands down and drug out what I could, but still didn't have a key. Drastic circumstances call for drastic measures. I pulled out the scissors and cut a hole in the bottom of the couch. I pulled out a mag light, a rolling pin, no less than fifty matchbox cars, a dinosaur, enough batteries to open my own Energizer store, part of a candy cane, a pen, a ball pit ball, half a bag of bag clips I bought at Ikea, a watch and I can't remember what all else. No lie. Promise that was all in the bottom of my couch. I found a key. Not the one I wanted though. (Later Ronnie told me it is the key that can unlock, but not crank the van.) I saw a couple of pieces of felt hanging on the side of the couch that I would be able to reach from the top so I left them to get once I flipped the couch upright again. I finished cleaning out the bottom, flipped the couch, stuck my hand down to get the felt, and WAIT A MINUTE! Right there, where I should have felt them ten times already, were my keys! Holy cow! So at 9.30 tonight, after looking all afternoon/evening I found my stupid key. Grandma and I sat and laughed about it for awhile. (She's so sweet, came over to hang out since we couldn't go anywhere.) I am so happy to have found it. Guess I'll be looking into forking over a couple hundred for that extra key now.