My mom sent Zach a $10 bill for his birthday last week. It has been sitting in the same spot on the counter since it arrived. I kept thinking every time I passed it that I really needed to move it somewhere safe, but I was always busy and just moved things around it so it could stay.

Last night we went at a sing-along concert at the elementary school. There was a guy from the State Dept. of Education who had written all these songs about "Dimension Prevention." It was cute and I had fun watching Erin and Zach, but not cute enough for me to want to buy the CDs they were selling afterward for $10 each. Erin and Zach did not feel the same, along with pretty much every other kid there. Did they brainwash these kids? Anyway, I didn't have any money with me, but Zach begged and begged and begged to use his birthday money to buy one of these CDs. I saw my neighbor there writing out a check to buy her kids a couple of the CDs and I asked her if she would add $10 to her check for us. As soon as we got home, I promised, one of the kids would run her the money over. I knew right where the money was, on the counter, of course.

What was I thinking??? We scoured the kitchen and went through every last piece of paper on that countertop. I searched through my bedroom, the bathroom, the boy's room, the baby's room, the piano, my pockets, my wallet, and EVERYWHERE ELSE at least three times each. I could not remember doing anything with this money, but I remember wanting to do something with it so often that I thought maybe I had moved it. I finally texted my neighbor to tell her we couldn't find the money and I didn't have any cash on hand, but I would bring it the next day.

I was soooo frustrated by this point. Seriously, what is wrong with me? Why didn't I put that money somewhere safe as soon as it arrived in the mail? I left it in the worst possible spot. I am really really careful when I clean off my counter and throw things away, but all I could figure was that I had thrown it away. There was simply no other option. I was in feeding the baby and Scott was tutoring a girl on our kitchen table when he sent me this text. "Have you said a prayer? Or asked Erin?" Every time I have ever lost anything -- or anybody has lost anything for that matter -- and Erin has said a prayer, it has been found. EVERY TIME. Even when I was beyond hope that it could be found, it was found. She has built my faith immeasurably. And yet every time, I reach that point where I am sure that this time, this time, it is gone forever. Why is my faith so weak? I struggle to have faith in my own prayers at times like this, but Erin does not, which is why I think her prayers always work. Also, I think I feel that it is my own fault and irresponsibility that the thing is lost in the first place, so Heavenly Father is not going to just show me where something is that I should be able to find myself and shouldn't have lost anyway! Ugh. I dunno.

Anyway, hence the text from Scott about asking Erin to pray. I had not. I was too upset to pray or even ask Erin to pray. Too frustrated to really even respond much to his question. And being the wonderful husband he is, he let me work it out and didn't run off to ask Erin himself, which is something I probably would have done. I tell him later in the evening that I am sure I must have thrown it away because I have checked everywhere else, and he wanted to go through the trash for me, right then and there!! I can't believe the wonderful man I married. That is true love, to be willing to dig through a disgusting garbage can searching for a $10 bill your wife threw away. Anyway, I would not let him do it because I had thrown away some really gross things in there yesterday and, I assured him, I wasn't for positive sure that I had actually thrown it away yet.

Then while I was putting Erin to bed, I asked her to say an extra prayer and please ask that I would find that money. She did.

So today, honestly, I haven't thought much about it except about when I could make it to the bank and withdraw $10. I, in my lack of faith, had again given up on ever finding Zach's birthday money. But lo and behold, I was folding laundry and FOUND IT!!!!!!!!!! It was in Zach's pants' pocket. I don't even know why I stuck my hand in there today because I was not thinking about it at all. But I did, and there it was. I couldn't believe it! Even now I am amazed how this happens every single time!! I know the Lord is watching me thinking, "Ok, Shannon. NOW will you believe me?" What would I do without the innocent, perfect faith of my 8-year-old and the gentle prompting of my loving husband? I am so grateful for prayer, and that my Heavenly Father has so much patience with me. I know the Lord cares about me and cares about the things that are important to me, even if it is only a lost $10 bill.