Welp, told my wife that I couldn't find the stringer and that I was headed to the basement to look some more. I thought "Lord, just open my eyes." I didn't even make all the way down the steps, looked down upon my "bench" and there it was in the original plastic pouch with the directions sheet!!! Yesterday I had gone over that bench TWICE and didn't see it. Man...like I didn't know already, God's pretty awesome. I need to remind myself to "open my eyes" when it comes to more things in life!!!
Then I went outside to check on our son's 7-8 year old rabbit...DEAD! Welp, back to life's little trials....