THE CHICKEN MIRACLE

(Finley at three months with Chicken)

So Finley's favorite toy is a stuffed bird named Monsieur Chicken or Chicken for short. Okay I'll be honest. He may not be her favorite but he was the first toy that she played with. He has ribbons for a tail and at about three months she became fascinated with them to the point that they are completely threadbare. And even pre-raggedy tail he's nothing fancy, in fact he was a hand me down toy from Brad's sister. Regardless, Chicken has always been attached to Finley's car seat and he's gone with us everywhere. He's seen a lot and has been loved a lot.

So it was only natural when I went to Utah last month that Chicken would come along. The first day we were there we took a trip to Ikea which happened to be Finley's first experience riding in a shopping cart. I attached Chicken to the handle so she would have something to play with, and what do you know? Later that day after a thorough search of the car I realized we had LEFT CHICKEN ATTACHED TO THE CART IN THE PARKING LOT. Cue devastation and traumatic images of abandonment! So we went back the next day to try our chances with a kind soul possibly turning it in to lost and found. But when I asked an employee to direct me to lost and found she radio-ed up and they told her nothing like our beloved Chicken was there.

I tried to move on, but that night we happened to watch Toy Story 3, my very first viewing. Have you seen it? UMM! That was the wrong movie to watch after someone has just lost their child's first toy. It was like watching Steel Magnolias and Schindler's List simultaneously. Okay that may be over the top, but you get the idea. So after imagining Chicken breaking out of Ikea's evil day care center trying to make his way back to Finley I was determined to find him. A few days later we went past Ikea again and I went in to find him, even if it meant looking through their lost and found myself. This time they let me go up to the lost and found office in person. I described Chicken to the employee, she typed it in to their database and went back to find him. A few seconds later she came around the corner with Monsieur Chicken looking very relieved to see me! They run a tight ship there, everything was categorized and shelved according to date and description. I was very impressed and very grateful.

(Finley at four months with Chicken - and her other pal Javier the bumblebee)

Moral of the story #1: Don't get attached to insignificant things. It can cause undue trauma.

Moral #2: If you find something that appears insignificant turn it in to the lost and found. You just might be a part of a crazy person's miracle.

Moral #3: Keep track to your stuff.