By now, most people have heard the story of the lost ring, but here it is for anyone who may find it as funny as we do...

We got engaged on November 23rd. That day is also the day I was scheduled to leave for Tennessee to visit my grandparents and family for Thanksgiving. So we get engaged and within 3 hours I am headed for the airport. My ring doesn't fit properly and I spend the entire next week in cold Nashville trying to make sure it doesn't fall off my finger. Flying back home that next Monday, I run into the bathroom after my flight. I take off my ring so that it doesn't go down the drain while I wash my hands, and I walk out without it. By the time I notice my mistake about 5 minutes later, my ring is already gone and security has no hope of finding it.

Fast forward another week: I get a text from a sister in Christ telling me she has something for me after services that Wednesday night. She hands me an envelope with cash in it saying that the wives in our congregation wanted to help to get me a new ring. They were so gracious that Payton was able to get me the same exact ring as my new one as my Christmas present.

The end of Christmas break comes:

The day before we were supposed to be headed back from Illinois after winter break, I get a call from the Tampa Airport. They found my ring stashed in a store! I went from zero rings to two! We were able to send one back to the maker, but we kept the second one as a reminder of the grace and unity God gives us in family.

Our sisters (and by default their husbands) showed us mercy and used their hard earned money to give us this gift. Something they definitely did not have to do and we definitely did not deserve. I will be forever grateful to our heavenly Father for our family in Christ because of this. Pictured: the two rings worn together.

J&P