When Life Hands You Lemons...

...pray for the lemons!

Today is my day off, and I was hoping to knock out a couple of blog posts and update you all on how "back-to-school" for the kids and the adults is going, but instead I spent the majority of my free time filling out a police report.

Bleh.

Seems that this morning, while Luke and I were picking up some teacher gifts at the mall, my minivan door did not shut completely and a thief made off with my GPS system and iPhone car charger.

Auto rosary...still hanging.

Miraculous Medal and other saints medals...still in the ashtray!

Box of teacher-work materials...still in the trunk.

But the car charger and GPS system...gone.

Truly, the most important items were left behind!!!  And my GPS system...well, it's well over 10-years old.  In fact, we hadn't even updated the mapping software because a new system was cheaper than the map updates!

As I walked out of the Mall with some aromatherapy Bath & Body works products for my kiddos' teachers, I caught my breath when I saw the minivan's side door wide open.

"Please, God, just let everything be there."  At the time, I was thinking of the $300 infant/toddler car seat, but my heart quickly sank when I noticed the empty GPS windshield attachment.  Truly, that car seat is much more valuable than what was stolen and it is a blessing in disguise that the thief did not realize that.


My little guy was so tuckered out!  After an hour and a half of meeting with Mall Security and then the local Police Department he had a potty accident (so sad for him) and zonked out on the way home.


Ironically, this morning, I had just read Billie Jo's post on her favorite things where I learned about Bath & Body works aromatherapy line.  I decided that I would like to get Mary and Ben's teachers some "Stress Relief" bubble bath to celebrate the end of the first week of school, and on a whim, grabbed a bottle for myself, too.



For the teachers:  RELAX AND THINK CLEARLY variety.



And look at the one I chose for myself...right before I exited the mall and discovered the theft...

Variety:  eucalyptus tea:  KEEP YOUR CALM.


God is always with us...looking out for us...even in the bad times!

And so this afternoon...after soothing my inner need for chocolate with a spoonful of peanut butter and a handful of chocolate chips from the pantry, I took a quiet, relaxing bubble bath and said a prayer for this thief.

Man...woman...teen...I don't know.  But clearly they are a troubled soul...lost without Christ as their guide...unable to exhibit impulse control...and clearly not living a life of integrity.

Tomorrow will be a better day!
 

Comments

  1. Oh! The scoundrels!! I'm terribly sorry to hear of your day! The first thing I thought of was the carseat as well. Hugs to you and your little co pilot. What a rough day!

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  2. Oh boy, jerks! That's scary, glad you all are ok!

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  3. Oh, you poor thing! And your little guy---so sad that this had to happen. But your attitude is awesome...praying for him/her.

    What a "coincidence" is your purchase You're so right; God WAS and IS looking out for you!

    Surprisingly, we have only been burglarized twice. Once...my metallic green 10 speed bike that I got from my parents for my sweet 16 which was in my garage in the house I grew up in ( the garage door did not lock-- we just never put one on b.c the door was so darn heavy and we figured no one would ever be so brazen as to climb over the cars in our teeny driveway and lift up the mammoth garage door! And most of the homeowners in the area did lock their doors. I grew up in Queens in a pretty nice neighborhood but everybody locked their doors...even garage doors...my Mom and dad always maintained it was a friend or someone on the block who stole it. How else would they have known it was unlocked?) I heard it being taken out in the middle of the night ( small house/bedrm window was open in the summer and overlooked the driveway) I still miss that bike!! Plus it was sentimental.
    Also, and THIS is weird. Mom and I were parked in Manhattan for her MD appt when I was still in HS. She had a specialist there for a condition. We parked on the street...nice area, 1st Ave near NYU med ctr. As we are approaching the car after the appt, we SEE someone leaving our car and running off with my HS jacket! Now why in the world would someone want to break into a car, leave the change and the few dollars sitting in the glovebox and make off with the jacket of an all girl catholic school in another county? Yikes.
    Luckily, those are my only experiences.
    Valerie, thanks again for stopping over today at my blog and for your kind words!
    I wanted to ask if you have email subscription? I have you in my blogroll but it's just easier to get emails right in my inbox.
    I don't see that option...am I missing it?
    If not, I'll just keep clicking over anyway from the roll.
    Have a great night ---tmrw HAS to be better!

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  4. First...so sorry to hear about this. But you inspire in your reaction to it. : )

    Secondly...Oh to be a teacher and receive that gift! So glad you found it and liked it too. I was showing my sister mine, and she had no idea they had it there either.

    So glad you bought one for yourself. Moms need pampering too. : )

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  5. Oh, good golly!

    Glad that you and Luke are ok. Sorry to hear of the losses though.

    Hope the teacher gifts go over well and that you enjoy the one you chose.

    Take care--tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!

    :)

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  6. Glad they left the important things, like the car seat. It is awe-ful that people feel that they can simply take things from others. We have had our car broken into in our own drive way. Thanks to our neighbor the police officer, the guy was caught. We only had to get up in the middle of the night to out in our pj's to fill out our police report.

    I have not heard of the Stress Relief from Bath and Body works. But, after reading about it. I want some! Will have to go to the mall soon.

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  7. Hi Valerie! I am coming over from Billie Jo's blog.

    Yikes, what a day for you! Thank goodness for stress relievers! Your little one is so adorable too :)

    I hope you can get a new GPS? Mine is old too, it keeps telling me I need it updated, but the update costs too much. Oh well. I'll get to a new one, one of these days.

    So nice to meet you today!
    Ceil

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Your kind words are appreciated! As Mother Teresa said, "Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."

Valerie

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