The Universe Loves This Family

I have come to the conclusion that the Universe loves little red coats. Remember this sweet little vest? Favorite vest with the puppy zipper? We lost it. Mom went crazy looking for it. Crazy. You did not want to be a fly on the wall in our house during that month. Yes, a month.

And whenever I loose something I go really berserk thinking of all the things I've lost in my life. (Also, I know I'm switching back and forth between talking for myself and about myself. I do have an education, I just choose to ignore it sometimes.) Anyway, all the things. I was thinking of the super cute flats from Foxmoors that I left at the gymnastics gym in Rigby, Idaho in the 10th grade. And the key fob to the GX that I lost sometime last year, either before or after I lost my blackberry. And the little red, wool pea coat that I loved and then lost about a month after I bought it.

Of course, life goes on, as it does. We went to dinner with some dear friends. And my friend, I tell you, she is so dang cute. Always such a cute little clothes horse. When we checked our coats at the restaurant -- me a long, teal wool coat and she a little red, wool pea coat -- I said, "Gosh I have a coat exactly like that. But I lost it."

That my friends was both the right thing and the wrong thing to say. My sweet friend immediately gave me an account of the mystery of the little red, wool pea coat. Apparently someone, and she had no idea whom, left the little red, wool pea coat at her house about two years ago. And there it has been sitting until just this very night when she decided to wear it. I was that someone who came to her awesome New Year's Eve party, and then left her awesome New Year's Eve party -- after a few cocktails -- and forgot that I had come to her house wearing a little red, wool pea coat, only to leave without it.

Mystery solved. Awkwardness all around.

Fast forward about six days. I go on a hike with my boys. I meet a friend who also has some boys. We actually discuss how downtrodden I feel about loosing the favorite red vest, with the puppy zipper tog. After the hike we decide a picnic lunch is in order and I am elected to go and get lunch. We decide on a restaurant that I have not been to since President's Day. While ordering five kids' meals, a chicken salad sandwich, and something that tasted like fire I realize that this might be the only place I have not dug through a lost and found full of dirty socks, crusty underwear, and hair ribbons (this my friends is the honest to God truth... people loose crusty underwear and other people actually put it in a lost and found bucket).

And then like a chorus of angels, I hear Charlotte Church's operatic renderings in my ears and see beams of light shine down from heaven and settle on none other than the favorite red vest, with the puppy zipper tog. Honestly.

Two red coats, one week, and a million answered whispers. Not exactly prayers, because it's kinda silly to pray about coats when you can afford to buy another one. But you know... I did say, "Where did I put that coat?" about 627 times.