Timber

It's not just a tree falling down. No, in this house, Timber is Jeffrey's little bear friend.

Timber came on vacation with us, although if he had stayed home, Jeffrey probably wouldn't have cared less. It was me who thought he should make the long journey south for vacation and I figured he'd be a comfort to Jeffrey especially in the confines of the vehicle.

But he didn't comfort Jeffrey. Joey adopted him as his traveling companion. At least he was getting some love from somebody, if not his rightful owner.

Once we arrived at our destination, however, he was tossed aside and forgotten. I would lie him on the air mattress next to Jeffrey, and Jeffrey would toss him aside. Eventually, poor Timber wound up on the floor, practically smothered by the mattress. I was determined to locate him and ensure he was packed with the rest of our belongings and children when we left.

Joey again adopted Timber as his own from Florida to Virginia and in the drenching downpour at the Best Western in Fairfax, unbeknownst to me, I guess Joey didn't have the heart to leave Timber alone in the van overnight. At some point when I wasn't looking, Joey managed to sneak him into one of the rooms. And in the early morning as we packed up what was brought to the rooms, determined to get on the road before the traffic snarled with early commuters heading into D.C., G and I still both went back to both rooms to do a sweep and ensure we had everything.

But Timber was hiding underneath the covers and forgotten by all of us, even a sleepy Joey, until we got home. I realized he was missing when I unloaded the van and he was nowhere to be found. Not stuffed under a seat, not tucked in a bag. Nowhere.

I inquired as to whether Timber slept with Joey the night before, and he confirmed he had. Poor Timber was back in Virginia, yet I was confident he'd be discovered by somebody from the cleaning crew and put in the Lost and Found, assuming they had such a place.

I called the hotel and after some checking, the hotel clerk got back on the line, cheerfully informing me that Timber had, in fact, been found, and when did I want to come and pick him up?

Well, of course I would come to pick him up. If he wasn't 7 hours away. But luck was on our side and I told him I'd have my friend Irene pick him up and then she would ship him home. After hanging at the Best Western for the weekend, Timber was picked up the following Monday and after being packaged in a bubble mailer, was en route to his owner, who barely even noticed he was missing.

Timber is back home safe and sound. Jeffrey seems to have a newfound love for his little friend, perhaps appreciating him more since he wasn't where he was supposed to be. If my precocious 2-year-old is too little to appreciate such an invaluable treasure, maybe someday he will and thank Irene and me for going the extra mile to ensure he didn't get lost with his childhood.