An Intruder

Yesterday I got all three kids down for naps at the same time and Shaun was out of the house working. Ahhh...precious work time! After a bit, I took a bathroom break, something that doesn't happen very often during the day, as any mother who has had or does have pre-school children plus an infant can attest to.

While I was in there, I suddenly heard a man's voice call out, "Hello, hello, hello?" It was a voice I did not recognize and I'd left the bathroom door partly open since I was alone in the house. My mind started scrambling...what should I do? Well, privacy won out, and I slowly closed the bathroom door and locked it.

I heard several footsteps so I stayed still to try to hear where this person was walking. We have an old, creaky house...you can't exactly sneak around. I was thankful to have my phone clipped to me, as it usually is during business hours. I was debating whether to call Shaun to ask him what to do or to just call 911 but I hadn't heard further noise, so after a few minutes I cautiously opened the door.

Making sure to keep my back against the walls, I made a round downstairs to be sure no one was there. Once I was satisfied that it was just the kids and I in the house, I kind of shrugged my shoulders and went back to work. I must insert here that we have a very open door policy in our home. People come in and out at any hour and it is extremely rare that someone knocks, so part of me was chiding myself for making a big deal out of the situation.

About three hours later I went to grab my camera off the mantel. It wasn't there. Hmm...I could have sworn I'd left it there, must be upstairs then where I was taking pictures of the girls earlier. Not up there either. Mild panic started to set in as I started to put two and two together....the several steps I'd heard earlier. I was positive I'd left it on the mantel, but I asked Shaun to help me look for it anyway. Gone.

At this point I called the local police department and they sent an officer to our house. Thankfully I had original boxes and serial numbers. He did his report and said he'd be checking the pawn shops.

This is the crime scene. I'd propped the front door open to let in some warm air. The mantel is on the right, the tiny half-bath on the left. (Never mind the floors that are in desperate need of refinishing)

Here's the mantel, my camera was on that white envelope, just steps away from the door.

That night at dinner I said, for the girls' benefit, "I'm so sad about my camera, I think that only ice-cream will make me feel better." Amanda very sweetly told me that I didn't need to be sad because the policeman was going to help me find my camera. We ended up at Dairy Queen anyway.

There's more to the story, which I'll continue tomorrow, since this is plenty long already. I am grateful that the kids are safe and that I am, too. They were my main concern, obviously and I can't help but give God thanks that I "just happened" to be safely tucked away in the bathroom at the time. There's no way to know what might have happened if I'd come around the corner and surprised him. Today I'm thanking God for his protection for my family.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 27:5