The Case of the Missing Flip-Flop

Thursday was one of those listless kind of days in stay-at-home motherhood for me.  I was trying to just do the next thing but didn't have a lot of enthusiasm about it.  But then KJ called at 1:20 and said he was coming home early because our church was hosting a funeral, and all the available parking space was needed.  It was good to have him come home even if the cause was sad.  Once he arrived I was trying to think of what I should do.  He offered to let me take a nap, but that felt too lazy.  The only time I'm good at taking naps is if I go back to bed in the morning (which I got to do today!).  Otherwise, I just can't make myself.  I have stuff to do, people!  Day time is not for sleeping!  


I then had an inspired idea:  we could take the kids to the park with the fountain, and they could run and play, and since KJ was with us I could take pictures and not worry about anything.  Like I said, it was inspired.  So we began the process of getting ready to go somewhere.  Change clothes and diapers, pack towels and diapers, and get the kids strapped in the car seats.  Just as we almost had it all together, it started thundering ominously.  Oh, no!  I really didn't want my inspired plan for family happiness ruined.  We decided to press on toward our goal.


Upon arriving, we found the fountain had been turned off for its daily filter cleaning, and dark clouds were filling the sky.  I was feeling slightly bummed as you can imagine.

We tried to look on the bright side and enjoy the time we had (Maybe it will blow over!) and walked across the field to the playground.

Thankfully (and providentially) the rain continued to hold off, and the kids enjoyed time on the playground, and before too long, the fountain was turned on again, and we trekked back across the field.

Ella enjoyed running through the water while James stayed on the outskirts and looked on for quite a while before we began to feel fat and heavy raindrops start to fall.  The only snag in our afternoon came at the end as we gathered up all the belongings:  Ella only had one flip-flop.  We discovered the missing flip-flop when we left the playground to go back to the fountain and thought we would find it there, but we didn't.  KJ looked all around, made a sweep of the field before we left, and even went back to the playground to check again.  No flip-flop.  Where was the flip-flop?  Did she have it when we first left the fountain?  Did she drop it in the field?  Did someone pick it up?  Where exactly did it go missing?

When I got home and started flipping through pictures, I found one that helped us determine at least one thing:  Ella did carry both flip-flops across the field the first go-around.  She was so close to our destination, too.

Do you see that flip-flop falling to the ground? 

I happened to take Ella's picture at the exact moment 

she dropped her flip-flop. 

What do you know?

Despite my photographic evidence that the flip-flop was dropped in the field, KJ didn't find it, and by this time we were home and calling it a loss.  It's too bad, though.  Those were the flip-flops I bought Ella in Disney World because her feet were "sweaty in her tennishoes."  Remember those?

So long sparkly flip-flops.

You served us well.

I can't remember how much I paid for you.

Probably more than you were worth considering where you were purchased.

Ella's philosophic attitude?

"It's okay.  I'll just buy some more next time we go to Disney World."