If you happen to see a gold ring...

My dad had a business meeting in Chicago last week, so he came down to spend the weekend in with us. On Saturday, I thought I had a fun evening planned for us. We would go to our church's tailgate party and then to the football game (which Darby and I had gotten free tickets for). Well, while tossing around a football at the tailgate, my dad's wedding ring fell off. We (and at least 20 other people) searched for it for over an hour to no avail. It was crazy. We knew it could only be in a small area, but it's like it just disappeared. This was my dad's original wedding ring, which he's had for 33 years, so I was really sad for him. We finally gave up the search and went into the game. It was an awful game (we lost 52-24) and really cold on top of that. I felt so bad. What a lame night for my dad!

Dad still managed to smile after the ring debacle. This was before he bundled himself up in blankets and cinched his hood all the way around his head. Did I mention it was cold?

I haven't given up on the ring. I'm going to continue to call the Assembly Hall lost and found and will probably go back at least one more time to search the grass. It has to be there somewhere! When I was about 10 or so, I took off a ring my grandma had given me and laid it on a bench in my neighbor's yard. When I went to put it back on, it wasn't there. We searched and searched and never found it. Then one day, at least 8 years late, my neighbor rang our doorbell, and he had that ring in his hand! He said he had seen it while mowing and thought he remembered me losing one. Isn't that crazy? I'm hoping it won't be 10 years before I find my dad's ring, though.

Despite the lost ring and disappointing football game, it was a fun weekend. Dad, Darby, and I had a lot of really good conversations. And Darby was happy because I made an apple pie for my dad (I seem to only make apple pies when my parents visit). My mom was planning to come, too, but she was hosting a luncheon on Saturday, so she had to stay home. We missed her, but I know it won't seem very long before Thanksgiving is here. It's already the 5th week of the semester. Whaaattt??