A Mother's Day to Remember

We will certainly remember Mother's Day 2013!  When we returned from church that Sunday, we discovered that our house had been broken into.  E's beloved Nook, my wallet (not the one with my driver's license and credit cards, thankfully!), and four of our cameras were stolen.  One might wonder, as we have, why we had so many cameras with us -- I think the plan was for all the kids to have access to one for use on the trip.  They hadn't really used them much, and Hope didn't seem to mind that one of her two birthday presents from April was taken, so all in all, it could have been much worse. 

I'm thankful that I had uploaded most all our most recent pictures the day prior . . . I'm thankful that our computer and iPad and large camera and passports weren't taken . . . I'm thankful that all of the stuff that was taken was just that -- stuff. 

I'll post pictures eventually, but the thief first tried to enter through L's bedroom window.  He sawed through the lock and chiseled through the wood to pry open one panel.  The top chain on the window was too short (I think I'd removed it when L was messing with his window too much :), and the window wouldn't open, so the girls' window was targeted next.  There are marks in the wood where the thief tried to pry open the panels, and when that proved too difficult, a throwing a large rock through the glass did the trick. 

Since the break-in, J sleeps with a machete at the ready, and all the kids pile into the master bedroom.  :) :)

The only pictures that disappeared with the cameras were those of our Mother's Day celebration on Saturday night.  While I was with H and L at a birthday party, J and E made a delicious dinner, and E baked a cake and decorated the table.  E even picked flowers and made a beautiful centerpiece.  It was absolutely incredible!  I felt so special!  My kiddos and hubby are the greatest!  So glad the thief wasn't able to steal that time from us . . . thank you, Lord, for that blessing!