Let the little children

I was at Costco the other day, doing my crazy mother-of-three thing of pushing a shopping trolley loaded with heavy groceries and two small children whilst carrying a third even smaller child in my left arm, when I got to the car and realised that I had lost my car key. Willing myself not to either a) throw myself on the floor in a tantrum; or b) leave the children and trolley in the car park and run into Costco to beg someone to find my keys, I lugged said children and trolley back into the warehouse to inquire if anyone had turned in my key. The very helpful lady at the information desk said that no such key had been turned in and perhaps I should take my one arm and my children and my heavy trolley and retrace my steps through the store. I followed that very helpful advice, looking first in the cafe, and second in the bathroom, and finally retracing my steps through the entire store. When no key surfaced I suggested to Cerys that perhaps she could ask God to find my key, since he didn't seem to be listening to me. She quickly said aloud, "God, please would you find Mommy's key?" and then to me, "Mom, did you hear him say yes?" Close to tears, I said, "No, honey, I didn't hear him. Did you?" She replied, "No, we better ask him again. God, would you please find Mommy's key?" Awestruck by her innocence, and flabbergasted by her determination, I walked back over to the information desk who had a different helpful lady behind it, and said, "Has anyone turned in my car key?" After describing it in detail, she said, "Yes, I've seen it. Let me go get it. It was in the bathroom." Praise the Lord.

As an aside, if there are any Milton Keynes Costco employees happening upon this post, may I suggest that when a tired mother loses her key, it would be helpful to search the store for her, or at least offer to watch her trolley while she searches, or better-yet, just give her the key since her search will be fruitless as the key is actually locked up in your office. Thank you.