Getting ready for the holidays, New Arrivals, and a heart breaking Weekend Recap!

How about that for a title!

Sorry I have been M.I.A. with fun, creative or personal post the last week! Sorry for late posting coupons; that usually are a little more timely, and for the lack of cheerfulness as you walked through the doors this week at Bellamia or my home.

Thanksgiving morning met me with a huge grief as I walked out to my car and realized that it had been burglarized. Just a few things were taken, but one of which was very dear to me and brings tears to my eyes and hurts my heart to think; my laptop. Most of you know, I could really care less about the laptop in and of itself, but what it contained, oh, what it contained!!! Every single picture of my girls for the last 5 years along with videos are gone. Back up zip drive and who knows what else (still thinking of things to this day!) was in the bag that was taken also. My console, glove compartment, girls school bags, EVERYTHING, was completely rummaged through. The scary part; 10ft from where we lay our heads at night. Our neighbors were robbed as well, and two of Tim’s co-workers vehicles in the same time frame had the same thing happened. Cash, electronics, hand guns, GPS’s, even my umbrella (well, it was raining that night!); they are going for it all! We all live in separate neighborhoods a good 15miles between us all hit within 24hours, so for all you locals beware of what is going on in your neighborhood at night.

To say I am a little paranoid and extra cautious is an understatement. Early this morning I was leaving my house to go to the gym and saw a light across the street at a neighbor’s house. I realized it was coming from their trunk. Their trunk that was wide opened at 4:30 in the morning! I wouldn’t even leave to go to the gym. Instead I waited until I saw their lights on at 6:00 to go over and tell them. They didn’t seem to concerned as I told them that two of their neighbors were robbed last week and that I noticed their trunk opened and was concerned for them, and the fact it was about to pour down rain so you might want to close it. She casually stated as she glanced over, “oh we must have left it open last night, who are you??".

Yep, I am sure that I have been marked in their books as the crazy neighbor! Sorry in advance people, but if you live anywhere near me and I stop to tell you to be careful and extra cautious it is probably because I can’t yet shake the fact that as I sit in my passenger seat of my car someone else was there. Some creep that put his hands all over my things and stole pieces of my life and intruded on my personal space was there!!

My children with their precious childlike faith stated “Why don’t we just pray that God will return your laptop!”. I will honestly say my immediate response that went through my mind was “huh, yeah right! You guys have a LOT more faith then me!”. Just the next day, I emailed a blogger friend that has been a great encouragement to me and without telling her what my children said, told me she would be praying that my computer would be returned to me.

Needless to say, the Lord once again showed me my heart. The fact that I worship a God that raised His Son from the dead, and believe whole heartily that He did that for me, but doubt that He could return my laptop safe and sound to me made my stomach turn. I am thankful for a Loving and Merciful God that forgives me in my times of unbelief.

So where am I today, still very very heart broken, a little paranoid and SLIGHTLY bitter against a person(s) I don’t even know, but praying God will forgive my sin in this, restore my joy, fulfill the void of memories, protect our home and personal identities, AND if His Sovereign will to PLEASE return my laptop to me! Some of these pictures are a few that were saved in my flickr account and taken this past weekend. Enjoy and don’t forget to be, extra careful, cautious and aware this Christmas season!