Lost Tricycle....

 Last Sunday our family went for a little walk on a new to us trail.  The Cottonwood Wash trail.  It was so quiet and peaceful.  The entire time on our walk, we saw no one else.  We heard no one else.  We felt like we were completely alone.  It was a strange feeling, being in the middle of a city - but being completely alone...or so we thought! 

We'd been walking for about an hour.  We were ready to turn around.  Andrew was tired of riding his tricycle and was complaining about it.  So, we stashed the tricycle on the side of the trail so we could hurry and catch Eric and Abby who had ridden their bikes beyond where we could see them.  We planned on turning right around and going back to our car.  Well, Abby and Eric were farther than we thought and it was starting to get dark.  I turned around while Chris went to get the kids.  But, when I got to where the trike should have been - it was gone.  I panicked.  I thought maybe I had missed it.  I turned around expecting to see Chris coming down the trail with it laughing at me for passing it.  NO SUCH LUCK.  It was GONE!  We looked everywhere.  It finally got too dark and we had to leave.  It left us with an awful feeling of our trust being violated.  Andrew was devastated and cried. 

I felt so bad.  I had told him nothing would happen to his trike - I had told him to trust me.  He didn't want to leave it, he wanted me to carry it for him.  How I wish I would have!  Oh how I wish I would have.  Sunday night I tossed and turned.  My mind was having such a hard time accepting the fact that someone would steal a tricycle.  Surely someone wouldn't be so heartless!  Surely!  My mind couldn't make sense of it.  I had such an evil feeling - I couldn't sleep.  Finally about 1am, Chris found me on the couch.  I told him how I felt.  I asked for a blessing.  Chris gave me one - I'm so grateful for the power of the Priesthood and a worthy husband!  After that I was able to calm down and sleep.  The evil feeling left. 

On Monday I took the boys in the bike trailer to see if we could find it.  Surely it would just be there and somehow I just had missed it.  But - it wasn't there.  I searched for two hours!  It just wasn't there. So, I went home and called every consignment store in the area, the local pawn shops, and even the police station. NOTHING.  I looked on KSL and craigslist and the local paper classifieds...nothing.  Not even something I could buy to replace it with. 

We went to the store to pick out a new one - Andrew looked at all of them, and said he just wanted his old one.  We looked online to find a new one - and none of them would do.  He just wanted his old one back!  I cried... I had told him to trust me.  I felt like this was all my fault.  The funny thing is - Andrew wasn't mad at me.  He doesn't blame me.  He still hugs me and loves me and has forgiven me because he never held me at fault.  It's me who can't forgive myself.  It's me who can't let it go. 

Andrew has complete faith that Jesus will help us find his tricycle.  He asked me to pray for him.  So I asked the Lord to help us find his tricycle or help us have peace and be able to find something new Andrew will love.  When I had finished my prayer, Andrew told me I had said the prayer wrong. He said "Jesus will find my bike."  He has complete faith.  So - I will do everything in my power to help the Lord answer my son's sincere faith.  I put up Lost posters on the trail, I put up an add on craigslist, and I pray.  I cry and I pray.  Because that's all that I have left.  I don't know where else to turn. 

The fact is - I have a testimony of prayer and faith.  I have no doubt that the Lord answers prayers.  I've had too many miracles, tender mercies and answers to ever doubt that. I'm just scared.  And I feel responsible.  The Lord will answer, but in His own time.  Am I patient enough?  I sure hope so!  Last summer when I lost my phone, it took two weeks for the Lord to impress someone to find my phone and locate the owner - it can happen again.  Miracles happen everyday!