Lost!

Sweet Sophi is absolutely enamored with her stuffed animals.  She has dozens of them and has named  and cares deeply about each one of them.  She plays with them and pets them.  She ties ropes to laundry baskets and gives them rides around the house.  She defends them vociferously if any of her siblings treats them in an unkind manner.

On Thursday I took Sophi, Xander and Lexi to Ferron.  They stayed with Grandma and Grandpa while I went down to Moab for work.  On our trip down we stopped at McDonald's.  I told the kids they could each get a $1.00 drink and something from the value menu.  Then Sophi saw the display for the current toy available with a Happy Meal.  It was a Beanie Boo!  Sophi delights in these darling little palm-sized animals, and I was wise enough to just give in before it could become a power struggle.

Me: "A Beanie Boo comes with the Happy Meal?  Then of course you can get one!"
Sophi: "Yay!"
Xander: "Wait, if Sophi can get a Happy Meal then why can't I get..."
Me: "Suck it up, buttercup!"

And so Sophi's life was enriched with a 2.5 inch tall stuffed penguin named Waddles.  She loved Waddles in Ferron.  She loved Waddles on the drive back home.  Then tragedy struck.  Waddles was gone.  We don't know where he wandered off to.  We have searched the car and the house with vim and vigor, but Waddles is nowhere to be seen.  Sophi really struggled with this Saturday night.  Tears were shed.  Prayers were uttered.  All to no avail.  But her indomitable shone through.  The next morning, Sophi was determined to enlist the aid of all those around her to find her beloved pet.  Much as someone might do if they lost a cat or a dog, she created posters and plastered them up around the house:).  These are four different posters she made:

They are on the fridge, the microwave and two walls.  Dear Waddles remains top of mind with all of us.  If you notice a very small penguin that looks like he doesn't know which way home is, please call!

-Jer