True Story of the Lost Wallet

Okay, so it's been a month since we've been back from Spring Break, but I just now have time to recount the story of the lost wallet.
If you follow me on Facebook, you know that half-way on our drive to New Orleans I discovered I had lost my wallet. We stopped for lunch at Subway at a gas station and when I went to pay - oh, no! - I had no wallet in my purse! When I thought back, I realized at the last gas station (2 hours and one state ago) I had put my wallet in my pocket. I did have a checkbook, so I was able to pay for our Subway and then I turned back around to go back to the last gas station and see if I could find my wallet. In the meantime, Alex called the gas station and they said no one had turned it in, but I had to see for myself. I remember being in the women's room when the boys started screaming in the men's room (the acoustics in bathrooms is apparently great for listening to screams!) so I hurried myself out of there. And I'm sure that is when my wallet fell out of the shallow pockets of my hoodie.
After making the 2 hour drive back to the first gas station, they had not found my wallet and I couldn't even go through the garbage because it had already been taken out. I'm pretty sure that whoever found the black leather Kate Spade wallet in the women's room kept it for the wallet itself...and the $50 inside. Luckily that was all the cash I had inside and when I started calling to cancel the credit cards, more than 3 hours after I lost them, no purchases had been attempted.
We turned back around and started driving to New Orleans again, and when I had about 90 miles of gas left the kiddies had to go to the bathroom, so we stopped at a gas station and I asked, "Do you take checks for gas?" Yes. "Without an ID?" No. I sent the kids into the bathroom and when I came out the attendant asked me, "Are those your babies?" "Yes" "I couldn't live with myself if I didn't take your check." Oh, the kindness of strangers! I'm sure everyone says they have have money in their account to back up their check, but I really did and am thankful for that attendant who took a chance on me! The next two stops I was not so lucky, both places would not take a check without ID. The kiddies had $3 that they brought so I used that and slowed my speed for maximum MPG. I arrived in New Orleans with 20 miles left on my gas tank.
While losing my wallet was annoying, and I had a few tense moments wondering how far we'd make it, I knew that we would make it to NOLA, even if Alex had to meet us for a fill-up. This was actually a good way to start off vacation, because it put everything in perspective. A lost wallet is no comparison to an accident or breakdown - and the vacation was all uphill from there! I am also very appreciative of the kindness of strangers. Greyson was extremely upset at first - but again there were good lessons to be learned. We were going to make it to New Orleans, just later than we had originally thought. And this is why there is no such thing as "finders - keepers," it really hurts when someone is not honest enough to return your belongings.
I hope when you read this, you can pass on kindness to strangers and help restore the lost, because sometimes it's the little things to us that sometimes mean big things to others.

Ps, I also forgot to say thank you to everyone who offered their support on Facebook and sent me texts! I had friends offer to get me money and after the fact found out others were trying to figure out how to do that too!