Too cute not to share...

So, when I got to mom's today to get the kids so we could go to church, I was informed that Auri's flip flops were missing. Needless to say, that's pretty much all she wears now. Tennies are too hot, and flip flops work with anything. So anyway, they were missing, so she put on her play princess heals to wear to church. Which matched her pink dress quite nicely.

So moving on through the night she was mostly barefoot and didn't mind because she belongs barefoot in the country anyway.

When we got home, she sat down at the table and she and I shared what was left of a bag of chips.
In the middle of eating, I looked around the room and simply made the statement that I just didn't know where else to look for her flip flops. I pondered it a minute and she then jumped out of her chair and stood in front of me with wide eyes and declared...

"If we can not find my flip flops, then this truly is a mystery."

Now, me trying to contain my laughter at how adorable she was in the moment, I said, "yes, it must be a mystery, you are right!"

She said to me, "Well if it is a mystery, then we will have to search EVERYWHERE for them. Because they are missing!"

Me, still trying desperately not to burst out in laughter at the sheer joy and intrigue in her eyes, I just raised my eyebrows and smiled at her.

The sides of her mouth started to curl up in a coy smile and her eyes were sparkling with excitement, and she said.. "We must look under the chair!" pointing under the chair I was sitting in. I shook my head yes, and she proceeded.... Looking to the left and then to the right without moving her feet, she pointed at the dog and said, with a slight orneriness, "We will need to look under the dog even."

I was finding it very difficult by now to not laugh out loud, so I didn't say anything, I figured, if I said anything then the laughter would come and she would stop, so I put on my serious face and pierced my lips. I gave her a slight grin and she said... "Dogs lay on flip flops. Some dogs even eat flip flops!" Her eyes were very big and very serious at this point, she took a step toward me and lowered her voice, as if to whisper, and softly said, "Some dogs like flip flops. They like to eat them because..." and her voice got even softer... "they think they taste good, and they like to chew on them."

At this point I no longer felt the need to laugh. The conversation had gotten serious. And I was doing my best to just let her explore her imagination.

So after, a slight smile and nod of her head with bright wide eyes, she stepped back, and spoke in her excited voice again, and said, "Yup, that's what we should do. This is a mystery! And this mystery needs to be solved. So, let's go mom!"

Of course, after turning around and seeing that she still had chips in her bowl, she sat back down and continued eating, as if the "Great Mystery" that had just been discussed, could be put on hold for another time. I wish I could tell you just how adorable this was for me, and for those of you who know Auri and her great ability to tell stories and to make the simplest things seem to be ever so important, well, you know what I'm talking about and if you close your eyes, I'm sure you can see sweet little Auri as she ever so seriously declared to me that "this is a mystery".

I hope this finds you all in good spirits and with great joy, and if not that maybe my sweet angel can help you feel joy right now!

God Bless! Have a wonderful day and smile, you never know what four year old will see you and share that smile with someone else!