Dear Mai,
It has been a busy week for our little family. We're full on in missing stuffie mode. By the time you read this you will realize how absolutely ridiculous we all are but hopefully realize that we love you very much.
The day was Monday, March 27, 2017. The time was 7:25 AM (ish). We had just had a fantastic but jam packed week with our friends the week before and we had your 5th Birthday party the day before. (Which by the way was a smashing success, 19 kids at the Jungle Gym in Burien. Madness) We were (not surprisingly) running late. I had barely slept the night before because I was working on a tight deadline. You grabbed your two most prized possessions, Ellie and pink blanket, I grab Tito and we head out the door to drop you off at your friend's (Emma) house so they can take you to school. Somewhere on that short, short walk... we lost Ellie.
I get a text in the early evening as I'm heading home from work.
Mama: "Do you have Ellie with you?"
Me: "Nope."
Mama: "She's missing"
Me: (heart sinks)
When I get home we retrace all all steps and try to think about where she could be. We decide she must be at school so you and Mommy decide to check the next day.
Tuesday comes. No Ellie.
Mama calls Grandma to tell her the news.
Grandma hits the Columbus Airport to check to see if they happened to have it still because that is where Ellie originally came from 5 YEARS AGO! No Ellie.
Grandma proceeds to every single store within a 50 mile radius of Columbus that sells stuffed animals in search of a new Ellie. No new Ellie.
I post a lost and found ad on nextdoor.com to see if anyone has seen her. No Ellie.
We've checked with our neighbors, our home owners association and everywhere else we can think of. No Ellie.
We spent 2 hours online looking for a replacement Ellie. Nothing. We found some that were close but no cigar. Besides. You don't want a new Ellie, you want YOUR Ellie.
At the end of the day, Mama and I are freaking out way more than you are. You're not crying, throwing fits or anything. It's just sometimes at night when you are in your bed.
Mama was trying to ease everything last night.Maya: "Mama?"
Mama: "Yes Maya, what's up? It's bedtime."
Maya: "I can't sleep."
Mama: "Why can't you sleep Maya?"
Maya: "I'm just so worried about Ellie."
Daddy: (Heart breaks and heads out to take Tito for an Ellie searching walk)
Mama: "Well, maybe some little kid found Ellie who is less fortunate than us Maya. Maybe she didn't have an Ellie but now she does!"
Maya: "But she can't have MY Ellie! I'm going to ask for her back."
Mama: "But there within lies the problem. We don't know where she is."
Maya: "Let's go knock on everyone's door to ask if they have them. If they do, I'll ask for Ellie back and give them one of my other stuffies."
Again. We're crazy. I suppose this is a good lesson to not get attached to "things." Things aren't what is important in life. What is important is that there are a slew of good people that we don't even know out there looking for Ellie for you right now. People are important. Family is important. Love is important. And that is what this is. We love you and one of the ways we express that is we're bending over backwards looking for this silly, small, stuffed Elephant you named Ellie.
In all fairness you've slept with her every single night since you've been 2 years old and she is the only other "thing" besides pink blanket that has gone on every trip with us. She's been to Ohio, California, Florida, Arizona, Montana, Las Vegas, Canada and all over the Pacific Northwest.
Here's to Ellie Mai, whether she turns up or not, she has enriched our lives. :-)
Love,
Daddy