I was really glad it was Friday and I was looking forward to some "chick" time with my fellow girlfriends...we went to go see "The Women".(great movie by the way- you gotta go see it)
I called home to let hubby know movie was over and that I'd pick up the kids and come home. He asked me to come straight home first, and then he said, "We've been broken into."
"WHAT?!?!?!?!" I said.
I flew home and indeed, our house and lives have now been changed forever.
Turned out that the 'people' had been watching us from down the street. (very creepy)
They pulled in the front driveway and parked. They broke our front door down and shattered the door frame. None of our neighbors heard a thing.
Jeff came home from work and saw a strange car parked in our driveway. He pulled in right behind it and decided to go in the front door instead of the garage door. He got to the front door and saw it already was opened. He peeked around inside and saw the living room sliding glass door blinds shutting. He had scared whoever was there, away. Then he noticed the house.
Poor thing tried calling me right away. (I turned my phone off because I was in a movie)
He saw the kids' backpacks thrown on the floor, (We always have them put lunch boxes away and hang up backpacks) and then really panicked about us. He hadn't seen the note on the garage door or checked the phone message I had left yet.
(After school I had picked up the kids, took them home and got them ready to be picked up for a play date. My best friend offered to watch them while I went to see a movie, knowing I hardly get time to do things like that. [I love you for that Cathy] We came home, she had just pulled up so I told kids, "Quick, run inside, throw your backpacks on the floor, grab your bathing suits and a towel and meet me back outside." Within 15.2 seconds, they were back outside and we loaded them up into her car. Off they went and then I grabbed my purse and headed out myself because the movie was starting in 10 minutes!)
Jeff and I stared in disbelief at our home. The burglars had piled things into specific groups and had torn up the house in looking for things. Almost every room had been touched by these strangers. They even left us a present in the bidet.
They had even messed up our bedding in tearing the bed apart looking underneath the mattresses. I stared in utter horror and just paced around the house.
Jeff had called the police immediately and they had already taken fingerprints and pictures, so by the time I got home, it was just the two of us. We hugged and kissed and all I could think of was, "What if...." We cried some more and held hands.
I called my girlfriend and asked if she would mind watching them longer...no problem she said. "Do you want me to come?" she said. I think I cried out a "Yes, please..."
Within 30 minutes she was there going through the house with us, listening to our stories and hugging me. She single-handedly started the clean-up process... and helped us to focus, as we were struggling to believe all this. Little did I know, but this God-sent-from Heaven girlfriend had called in for reinforcements... she called all the girls I went to the movies with. They came right over with cold libations in hand and helped with the cleanup process. Lots of hugs later...they all went home exhausted and Cathy had the kids stay overnight.
We didn't want them to know what had happened. It would have devastated them.
So, here we are now...emotionally and physically exhausted from our weekend. Thinking constantly of what happened, what could have happened, trying to believe, trying to remember to not say anything in front of the kids....I am just not ready to go to work tomorrow and leave this house, our HOME, alone. It has really been an eye opener as to what just lays around the house, where important information is, and how easy it is for anyone to come and steal your safety away from you.
I debated as to even talk about it, but my feeling is....why not? I have nothing to hide, and these people do not have permission to steal my life from me or my family.
So here I am, pouring my heart out to all of you...please look around your house carefully...what can you do to protect yourselves? Objects are just that- objects... but family is your life and blood. I am so incredibly lucky to have my family safe.
So hug and love your family like there is no tomorrow!
Turned out that the 'people' had been watching us from down the street. (very creepy)
They pulled in the front driveway and parked. They broke our front door down and shattered the door frame. None of our neighbors heard a thing.
Jeff came home from work and saw a strange car parked in our driveway. He pulled in right behind it and decided to go in the front door instead of the garage door. He got to the front door and saw it already was opened. He peeked around inside and saw the living room sliding glass door blinds shutting. He had scared whoever was there, away. Then he noticed the house.
Poor thing tried calling me right away. (I turned my phone off because I was in a movie)
He saw the kids' backpacks thrown on the floor, (We always have them put lunch boxes away and hang up backpacks) and then really panicked about us. He hadn't seen the note on the garage door or checked the phone message I had left yet.
(After school I had picked up the kids, took them home and got them ready to be picked up for a play date. My best friend offered to watch them while I went to see a movie, knowing I hardly get time to do things like that. [I love you for that Cathy] We came home, she had just pulled up so I told kids, "Quick, run inside, throw your backpacks on the floor, grab your bathing suits and a towel and meet me back outside." Within 15.2 seconds, they were back outside and we loaded them up into her car. Off they went and then I grabbed my purse and headed out myself because the movie was starting in 10 minutes!)
Jeff and I stared in disbelief at our home. The burglars had piled things into specific groups and had torn up the house in looking for things. Almost every room had been touched by these strangers. They even left us a present in the bidet.
They had even messed up our bedding in tearing the bed apart looking underneath the mattresses. I stared in utter horror and just paced around the house.
Jeff had called the police immediately and they had already taken fingerprints and pictures, so by the time I got home, it was just the two of us. We hugged and kissed and all I could think of was, "What if...." We cried some more and held hands.
I called my girlfriend and asked if she would mind watching them longer...no problem she said. "Do you want me to come?" she said. I think I cried out a "Yes, please..."
Within 30 minutes she was there going through the house with us, listening to our stories and hugging me. She single-handedly started the clean-up process... and helped us to focus, as we were struggling to believe all this. Little did I know, but this God-sent-from Heaven girlfriend had called in for reinforcements... she called all the girls I went to the movies with. They came right over with cold libations in hand and helped with the cleanup process. Lots of hugs later...they all went home exhausted and Cathy had the kids stay overnight.
We didn't want them to know what had happened. It would have devastated them.
So, here we are now...emotionally and physically exhausted from our weekend. Thinking constantly of what happened, what could have happened, trying to believe, trying to remember to not say anything in front of the kids....I am just not ready to go to work tomorrow and leave this house, our HOME, alone. It has really been an eye opener as to what just lays around the house, where important information is, and how easy it is for anyone to come and steal your safety away from you.
I debated as to even talk about it, but my feeling is....why not? I have nothing to hide, and these people do not have permission to steal my life from me or my family.So here I am, pouring my heart out to all of you...please look around your house carefully...what can you do to protect yourselves? Objects are just that- objects... but family is your life and blood. I am so incredibly lucky to have my family safe.
So hug and love your family like there is no tomorrow!
Jeff, Cathy and Mike, Pammie and Suzannie and Steph- I Love You!
6 comments:
First, I am so thankful to God that you and yours are safe! But, I must let you know that I am horrified. I actually gasped out loud as I looked at those pictures!
What in the world were they looking for? They must have thought you were millionaires or drug kings! What did the police say?
I'll pray for you tonight. Thank the good Lord for your girlfriends.
I feel for you. It must have been like a kick in the gut to see that. My hubby had this happen to him before I met him and said it is an awful feeling. Thank the Lord that you are all safe.
p.s. I saw the movie on friday too. It was really cute.
I am now crying...Thank God you and the children weren't home and I know how worried Hubby was for you all! I know your Peace has been taken from you and I pray God will restore it and you will feel it surround you. What a wonderful group of friends you have...I call that "My tribe of women friends!" :)
Thanks for the movie information...I was wondering if that would be a good one!!
I know a tiny bit of how you felt when you saw this. We were at a viewing in another city when our car window was broken out while we were inside the mortuary. They took my daughter's purse which was NOT in plain site and other things in the glove box, even money out of the ash tray. She has had a horrible time with identity theft. Even with blocks on her credit they've taken out new credit cards and loans that are hitting her 2-1/2 years later. It's been awful. The violated feeling never leaves though. I can't even begin to explain how I felt seeing all that glass but I know that you must have felt this feeling on a much larger scale. I hope your personal information was safe and I'm glad that you and your children weren't home at the time. What great friends you have too.
Oh boy...
Sorry I missed this one...
sorry you had to go through this...
makes me so angry.
Did the police take the present in the bidet or do I watch too much CSI?
I hope you're all moving on solidified and safe!
erin
Oh I know the feeling you had and still have. I had my place broken into before. I also was house sitting for my sister while they were all gone and I had gone over to get the mail and check on her place and walked in while the guys were still there.
Thankfully I went outside to wait for the police. They did end up catching them. They stole my nephews car and got in an accident (right in front of a cop). They were gang members and told the cops that they would have shot me had I gone upstairs and saw them.
Talk about scary!
I'm so happy you and your family were not hurt.
Hugs,
Joanne
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