Can't Steal Our Fun!!

One of my worst fears came true yesterday afternoon...I arrived home from Bible study with my boys to find that our home had been burglarized. It was so scary to know that strangers had actually forced their way into our peaceful home, been inside of it, looked through our things and taken some of them. We never bother anyone, and we work hard for what we have, so I can't help but be angry on one level.

Yet on another level, I can't help but be thankful. Thankful that we were not home when the burglars were there, thankful that we didn't arrive home during the burglary, thankful that we were safe, thankful that our cat was safe, thankful that they didn't take any more than they did.

Strange things about this burglary...they took our new TV, our old DVD players, our new digital camera (but not our old one), one of Bryan's pistols (the one that I gave him brand-new just 4 years ago)...but they did NOT take our camcorder, our computer, our movies...they took most of my jewelry, which was valuable only to me...yet my wedding ring was sitting right in front of my jewelry box, and they didn't take that. PRAISE GOD! I had not been able to wear it yet since Sam was born, and had tried squeezing it on just this past Sunday, only to have to wrench it back off. (It is now squeezed back onto my finger...I can't bring myself to take it off!)

All of these things are just that...only THINGS. We are so thankful that worse damage was not done to our home, that it was relatively easy to clean up, and the boys were mostly oblivious to the whole incident. Of course Baby Sam, at 8 weeks old, knew nothing, but Ben thought the mess was great fun, though he did point at the wall where the TV used to be and say "black?" (which is what he called our black TV). One thing that makes me most angry is that Ben's favorite Baby Einstein DVD was in the DVD player, and of course that went with the DVD player. How dare they steal my baby's video?

So this morning was different from most other mornings. Instead of watching PBS Kids, we drew pictures. We normally do draw pictures, but later in the day. Ben wanted to see his Elmo. So Mommy drew him an Elmo, and he loved it! (after adding his own embellishments) He wanted to see his Dinosaur train show, so Mommy did her best to draw him a dinosaur. He thought it was the greatest dinosaur! He asked for his favorite "clown" video (the one that was stolen)...so Mommy drew him the clown. You must understand that I am a terrible artist. I cannot free-hand draw to save my life. But it was so fun that my little almost-2-year-old thought that my drawings were the greatest! We really had a special time together.

Then we went outside, which we would have done anyway, since the weather is so nice now, but I think we enjoyed it more today. Ben helped Mommy plant flowers, and insisted on wearing my green gardening gloves. He loves dirt, digging in it and flinging it around. Sam had a nice time just watching the trees blow in the wind.

So...those burglars can steal our stuff...but they cannot steal our fun!!

P.S. I don't think I even miss the television!