Wow, It's February?

OK, seriously, I thought I blogged in December.  I guess not!  The holidays have gotten away from me!  So, here I go, doing my good ole' bulk blogging again.  I hope I don't miss anything.  The weeks, days and months have been good to us.  Here goes:

BURGLARIZED:

    Well, Novemeber was a pretty good month.  BUT, the day after the election, our house was burglarized!!!  It was AWFUL!  It was Wednesday and I ran to the grocery store with the babies for one hour.  I, of course, didn't set the alarm, but to my knowledge all the doors and windows were locked.  It was the middle of the day, 12:40 and not a routine time for me to leave the house.  Someone had to be watching.  CREEPY!!! 
    So, I went to the store, got my list, came home, put the babies right down for naps and sat down at the table to read something.  I had only quickly put away frozen and fridge items.  I had been home for a while when I went over to the sink and saw that one of my crystal goblets was in the sink and it looked like someone had taken a drink and put it in there.  I looked over at my cabinet where I keep them and the door was wide open.  No one around here ever grabs a drink out of one of my goblets, unless I set them out for a special meal!  This sent a terrible feeling over me.  When I realized I was possibly not alone in my house and I had two sleeping babies with me, I felt sick with fear.  I felt so vulnerable!!!  I quickly grabbed a very long knife and called my sister-in-law, Jennie, to ask her if she had been over here while I was gone.  Mike later questioned me on the choice of a huge knife!  He said, "Did you really want to stab someone?  There's pepper spray right there!"  He was right, I am sure I didn't want to stab someone, but believe me, I would have.  Mama Bear is powerful when it comes to protecting her children!  Yea, the pepper spray would have been better, but I just didn't think of it!  No one in the movies ever grabs pepper spray, they get a huge knife!
     I first ran upstairs to check on my sweet little sleeping babies.  They were both out cold and no one was in their rooms.  I checked everything upstairs, no one.  While I was frantically running around with a knife in my hand I had Jennie on the phone.  She hadn't been here.  She was great to stay on the phone with me while I was panicking!!  Next I started on the main floor.  I was checking every corner and closet, then I went into my master bedroom closet and there it was.  My jewelry box was empty and thrown on the floor with the drawers to it empty and thrown around.  Other things in the closet had been rustled around.  I gasped.  Jennie was the perfect voice of reason in my frantic head.  She said Heather, "Get out of the house and call 911!" 
     I don't think I have ever moved so fast in my entire life.  I sprinted!  I ripped poor Emmy and Tommy right out of a deep slumber and carrying both of them I ran down stairs, grabbed my keys, and ran to the van and just threw them in their car seats without buckling them up and flew out of the driveway.  It was horrible!!!!  To feel that afraid to be in your own home was the worst feeling.  I just drove to the edge of my cul-de-sac with 911 on the phone.  They said not to go too far away because police were on the way and needed in the house.  Jennie came right over and waited with me.  I was so grateful she did, that really helped me feel better.  The police went inside and "cleared" the house, meaning they made sure no one was still inside.  I still hadn't checked the basement or the rest of the main floor.  The burglar had come through our unlocked back gate, through the back yard, and in our kitchen window that was yes of course, unlocked!  Why is it that the bad guy ALWAYS comes through the kitchen window!!!  Well now there is a paddle lock on the back gate and the kitchen window will never be unlocked again, and even if it is, the alarm will be set if I am away from the house!!!  Gee, I hate things like this!
       So whomever it was, they took my jewelry.  I wear my wedding ring, EVERY day.  Except of course, THIS day!!!!  I still can't get over this.  That morning I was putting on my jewelry, something I do every day.  I had on my watch, my earrings, and last was to be my wedding ring, but the phone rang and I walked away from my jewelry and never made it back.  AHHHH!!!!!  They got my wedding ring, probably the most expensive item in our whole house!  That lucky dog.  I was sick about it, but I'm over it now.  They also took some very nice pearls that were Mike's Grandma's.  They also took some pink pearls I got in China and another single pearl necklace from Mike's other Grandma.  Those are terrible losses.  All of my other jewelry was cheap, whatever, take it!  But these sentimental pieces that can't be replaced are a real loss.
       The police took lots of prints and I gave them pictures that I had of my jewelry.  They posted it at pawn shops but told me not to plan on ever seeing it again.  They said that burglars just melt everything down so it isn't recognizable and then they sell it.  The good news was that my ring was insured under our homeowners police, so we got the full amount for it.  So, in January we started ring shopping.  I wasn't ready to buy any jewelry for a while, I felt sick when I went shopping for it.  Whoever this person was I was able to easily forgive them for taking my things, but the hardest part was that they took the peace and sanity away from my children.  Erica and Bryant were afraid in our house for a very long time, and still are, but they are getting better.  Mama Bear ain't happy when her babies are harmed.  That for sure has been the hardest thing in all of this, making them feel safe again.  I gave them a long talk about how if we let this person take away our peace, then they have taken a lot more than just my jewelry.  That helped a little but it has really just taken time.  As more time passes, they slowly get over these things and recover.
    The drink out of one of my crystal goblets still haunts me.  Really, I try not to think about it.  What burglar decides they need a drink when they are taking your things!!!!  That's twisted.  I've tried to make something out of it, but it doesn't make any sense.  Whatever!
    In the end, I am sooooo grateful that whoever this was, they didn't want to inflict physical harm to any of us.  I am grateful they didn't ransack my house or vandalize it.  I am grateful for alarm systems and believe me, we use it faithfully now!  I am also glad that jewelry can be replaced, for the most part.  I am also glad that I feel safe inside my house.  I was a little freaked out for maybe 2 days, and then I was fine again.  Life goes on!