The Case of the Missing Necklace

Mid-December, I lost my necklace.  Not just any necklace, my Aubrey necklace.  The necklace I wear every single day.  I take my necklace off an average of once a day because if I blow dry my hair with it on it burns my skin.  On this particular Monday night, I took my necklace off in the living room and placed it (feet side up as always) on the table between two chairs.  When I went to put my necklace back on the next morning (I must have been super tired to go to sleep without it because I normally sleep with my hand wrapped around it), it wasn't where I thought I left it.  I looked for it for 30 minutes or so before the boss called and I had to go to work.  When he went down for a nap, I resumed looking for my necklace.  I spent both of his entire nap times that day looking for my necklace.  I kept thinking it has to be in this house somewhere, maybe Bella's tail hit it and it flew under a piece of furniture, what if one of the dogs ate it (our dogs are both way past the eating random stuff stage, but it still crossed my mind). 

That night, after tucking Joseph in bed, I went out to the garage where Sam was working to tell him I still couldn't find my necklace and I broke down.  I'm talking heaving shoulders, can't catch your breath crying.  I even told him it was worse than losing my wedding ring because at least I would still have him.  Through it all, he just kept hugging me and telling me that everything would be ok.  He said that if we didn't find it by my birthday he would order me a new one.  I went to bed and cried myself to sleep.

The next day, I continued my frantically searching the house while Joseph was sleeping routine.  I didn't pick up dog poo or vacuum the house out of fear of losing my necklace forever.  I looked under every piece of furniture with a flashlight thinking it would reflect the light when hit.

Thursday things got real.  I was hosting bunco that night and had to clean my house that hadn't been touched at all the last couple of days due to my missing necklace.  It was also the day before trash day and I knew that I wouldn't be able to put the trash out unless I looked through it (I had already gone through the trash can in the house).  As soon as Joseph went down for morning nap, I grabbed the baby monitor and went outside. I'm glad that all of our neighbors were at work because I searched through every single item in our entire big blue trash can while sitting in our driveway.  It wasn't there.  After lunch, I asked a neighbor who works half days to watch Joseph so I could carefully vacuum.  I flipped every piece of furniture in our living room except for the way too heavy couch while I was vacuuming.  I still didn't find it. 

I started to admit to myself that I might have really lost it for good.  I went about my afternoon preparing for the girls to come over.  When Sam got home, I was in the kitchen dipping oreo pops.  He said, "I have something for you."  I turned around and immediately started hysterically crying when I saw him holding my necklace.  He then told me that he had my necklace the entire time because he had been talking to a jeweler about adding a diamond to it since he knew it would be pointless to buy me new jewelry (I don't even wear my engagement ring or the anniversary band I just had to have 97% of the time {I do wear my wedding band 100% of the time}).  When I finally calmed down, he asked if I was mad at him.  I honestly told him that I wasn't mad, just relieved to have one of my most prized possessions back. 

When I reflected back on the last few days, it all made sense.  That's why he barely helped me look for it.  That's why he just kept hugging me the first night when I was crying (he admitted that he was hugging me so I wouldn't see him laughing and he almost gave it back right then because he felt so bad).  That's why he wanted me to wait so long before ordering a new one. 

Oh, and in case you are wondering, no, they didn't add a diamond because they were afraid they would mess it up which is just fine with me. 

This picture was taken 2 1/2 years ago when it was still shiny and new.