Return of the Prodigal Meon

I had this little hiding place
for my lion's silly face

My mom had looked all over town
but he was no where to be found

She searched for a new one to take his place
in 5:00 traffic it was a race!

The new one came home, but was not the same
I missed my old one's ratty mane

It was a long night, with not a lot of sleep
mom didn't know, Meon was feet away not making a peep!!

We got ready for our morning stroll
and there was Meon in one of my stroller's wrinkly rolls!

Needless to say, it's been an emotional roller coaster around here the last couple of days (evident alone by the fact that I'm blogging in rhyme!) We lost Meon (his lion blanky) early yesterday morning while on a walk in our neighborhood. Wilson sat in his bed and cried for an hour before finally falling asleep for his nap. When he got up we went to a local store to check on their supply of "lions". They had every other animal the company makes but the lion. I handed him a horse, he put it up to his face, shook his head, and handed it back. I handed him the frog and said, "look how cute this one is." He put it up to his face, shook his head, and handed it back. He wouldn't even look at the dog. So we get in the car at about 10 till 5 and I 411 a store downtown that has them. They had a lion in stock. We go careening down the interstate to get there before they close at 5:30. We get there in one piece and on top of a basket in the back of the store with sort of a halo glow about it- there was Lion. I handed it to Wilson and he put it up against his face . . . and kept it there. Yes! An acceptable replacement. We pay for it and get back in the car. He quickly became aware that this was not Meon. He was calling it Lion and making roaring noises. He was identifying all the body parts that it has that he recognizes (eyes, nose, ears). All things he has never done with Meon. We pulled into the garage at the same time as Daddy and Wilson immediately started yelling to him Lion! Lion! Lion! and showed him his new friend. We all rejoiced at our family's newest member, but Daddy still prayed for Meon during our blessing over supper. It was hard for Wilson to get to sleep. I think every time he would wake a little and search for Meon, he would get the newer, much softer Lion and didn't realize what he had. I stayed awake picturing poor Meon stranded on the dirt road behind our neighborhood, being pummled by the dump trucks that go up and down it, before being drug off by some wild cat. Fast forward to this morning . . .

Wilson and I get ready for our walk. I pull out the stroller- the same stroller that I searched yesterday as this was Meon's last known whereabouts. I unfold it and put Wilson in. And there HE is. Meon had been tucked behind the seat in the folds of the stroller hood! Well, you have never seen a happier little boy. "Meon!" and of course, his new friend Lion. Lion, who already has Captain Crunch stuck in his fur and can't be returned!