Lost

When you were about six months old Mommy and Daddy took you to your very first Kentucky State Fair.  Mommy and Daddy went each year to watch your Uncle Art play music under the tent in front of the fair grounds.

This was going to be your first visit.  Mommy was thrilled for you to meet the cows and pigs in the farm exhibit.  You were just an itty-bitty round faced baby girl at the time and I knew you wouldn't remember a thing, but I was excited about this being your first official fair!

Fitting snugly inside Mommy's baby sling, I carried you through the rows of animals.  Mommy even stopped by one baby calf just so you could get a close look.  When that cow made a quick turn of its head Mommy got nervous for a second.  I didn't want anything to hurt my precious baby girl.

Later in our visit we stopped by to look at all the police cars and community exhibits.  There was a mock town where little kids rode tricycles like real cars and little versions of stop signs and street lights lined the roads.  Nearby there was a free photo ID booth. A member from the police department was taking pictures of kids so that parents could have a child ID card just in case their child ever became lost.  Written in big, blue letters at the top were the words "LOST CHILD ID CARD".  Just under the title was a list of things to do should your child become missing.    

Mommy never passed up an opportunity to have your picture made...even if it was just for an ID card.  As silly as it sounded and even though you were just a baby and had a gazillion pictures taken of you every day, Mommy insisted that we have an ID made for you.  Mommy thought it would be a neat keepsake from your first fair and that you would enjoy looking at it when you got older.  It was clear that you were too little to stand in front of the blue backdrop mounted on the wall, so Daddy held you up in his arms as the camera flashed.

When we got home that day, Daddy put your card in his dresser drawer.

This week, as Daddy was cleaning out his dresser drawer, he found your card. This week marks three years since we last had you here with us.  When he showed it to Mommy the first thing I said was I wish she was just lost.  If you were just lost, then there would be hope that you would be found.  As quickly as that thought entered my mind I realized that Mommy had it all wrong. 

Sometimes the only thing that gets Mommy through the sadness is to think of the million other ways children are taken from their parents everyday.  Mommy can't help but think of all the ways you were spared the sorrow and heartache that often comes with life here on earth.  It makes Mommy happy to think that every one of your days was full of love and joy.   

Mommy is thankful to know exactly where you are.  That gives Mommy peace everyday.

Love and miss you sweet girl...