ELMO LOVES YOU

I was in my room, going through Christmas gifts when I came across him.  There he was, double wrapped in bags so as to not let little peeking eyes see the treasure inside.  I pulled him out and smiled to myself.  I remembered how he got there, as though it was yesterday, but knowing it was several years ago.  He was special, oh so very, very special... (and he still is today).

The tragic, unthinkable had happened.  ELMO, the oh so loved ELMO went MIA.  It was bad enough that an AMBER ALERT went out to all of our friends who had visited our house that day in desperate hope that he would magically reappear.  He did not.  The search was on. The house was literally torn apart.  She could not live without him and we could not live another day with her sad, broken heart.  The tears, oh the tears-- they just fell and fell.  She had just turned 3 the month before, he had been her comfort for years, had gone everywhere with her and did not "break" like her beloved green foolers.  He had always been there for her, but now... he was gone.
We looked on line, at the store, but he seemed to have vanished...  then Daddy found him.  One of the Walmarts had one-- he made a special trip during work and found him.  There he was, he with a twin.  The only two remaining Elmo Loves You dolls in the store.  He was on sale-- apparently they no longer made this special guy.  (which is crazy, because of ALL the ELMO things out there, this was by far the only one deemed worthy enough of her love).  He grabbed him and bought him as quickly as he could.  He had saved the day... or so we thought....
Apparently the story of Elmo being cleaned and now here he was all soft and fluffy did not fly very well.  She did not believe it for one second and certainly could not/would not accept this impostor!  It took quite a bit of pleading, but eventually an Elmo impersonator was better than no Elmo at all, so he was accepted, and loved on and taken everywhere. 

Knowing how important this guy was and that he was necessary for my little girls' happiness, I rushed out the next day and purchased yet another Elmo Loves You doll.  It was the last one they had, the last one we had ever seen--quite possibly the last one ever made, and it was MINE. I got him.  I double wrapped him.  I hid him in the spare room closet hoping to never have to pull him out, but feeling relieved to know that someday I could.
That day finally came.  it was yesterday.  I showed him to Kirk.  We thought it would be fun to exchange this nice, soft, fuzzy, CLEAN Elmo for the other one in the middle of the night.  The exchange was made before we went to bed.  Then a while later we heard crying.  It was coming from Molly's room.  She realized stinky Elmo was replaced...

 Thankfully she has accepted the new guy, though she will not give up the old.  At least they are enjoying a happy life together!!!

Guess he feels good to know that he will not be replaced!!!