irony

Irony (besides the opposite of wrinkly)

• asking 2 young men "Can I help you?" only to find out a few minutes later they were robbing your house
• being told by a deputy "don't touch anything" while you have to sit and wait for 2 hrs and all you can see is housework that needs doing. (Do you know how many cobwebs are on my front porch?)
• police asking a colorblind person what color truck the men were driving
• a man having to reach across the book "Choosing Gratitude" to steal my jewelry box
• being asked to describe one of the expensive rings I had, and the first word that came to my mind was "heinous"
• having your house photographed for criminal files when you left it for the gym with dirty laundry sorted into piles on the floor, an unmade bed, and breakfast dishes still on the table
• our "mean" rooster (everyone asks us if he's mean) taking all the grown hens into hiding in the field when the robbers came
• laughter - Bobby and I giggling at the reaction those young men probably had upon coming in our huge house and seeing 2 televisions both over 20 years old and a 5 year old worn computer with cords running everywhere.  We're still dumbfounded they didn't steal any of the hundreds of books we have. (We said that to some relatives, and I think they thought we were serious. But seriously, you want to hit us where it hurts, take our books.) They didn't take any of the teddy bears, Granny's quilts, none of our bluegrass, Country, or Christian CDs, his 25 year old stereo, my 13 yr old sewing machine nor my huge fabric stash. Those boys obviously had no idea of what it takes to make life pleasing.

We did lose some things that hurt. His grandmother had some cheap bead necklaces. After her death a relative made them into beaded bracelets for all the grandchildren. There's no monetary value on it at all, but it meant the world to me. It's one of the few bracelets I actually wore. A cheap athlete's foot track pin means nothing to anyone else, but my now paralyzed husband won that one year in track and field. The pretty cuff links that weren't real gold or real stone? Those belonged to my father-in-law, who is now in heaven. A child's metal bracelet with the initials BB? That won't mean anything to anyone other than us. And who on earth wants a Cordova High School Class of 1991 class ring?

After the shock of what happened wore off, and the reality sunk in that they were holding my husband's loaded rifle when I pulled up (which they left in the garage... so thankful I didn't know that at the time!), all I could think was "Wood, hay, stubble" and how God is our protector and provider. I know that even if I had not come home from the gym early and they had trashed the place and taken every single item, God would still provide our needs. Even if they had hurt me instead of just fleeing, God would still be the protector of my soul and spirit. There are some things money can't buy and thieves can't steal. I've had to constantly remind myself of that fact since Monday as I hesitate to leave the house for fear they'll come back (the investigator says not likely since I can somewhat ID them and their vehicle) or resist the urge to check out every pickup that passes on the road. I have to focus on today and tomorrow, and not replay Monday morning at 10am in my head. I can't change anything; can't do anything any differently.

But I'm thankful more than ever for my husband/best friend. He truly makes an awesome teammate.