Not Your Typical Temple Trip

We took a trip to the temple this month, fully expecting it to be a normal, enjoyable trip as always. The kids were off school early, and Jeff had the afternoon off as well, so we went down on Friday. We got there just in time for me to go through an endowment session, and Jeff went to run some errands with the kids. I finished about 5:45, and Jeff and I traded places. I decided to take the kids to play at the park for a while so they could run off some energy before we started the long drive home.

There is a park just a couple blocks down from the temple, but it's not very big and it was pretty crowded so I decided to see if I could find a better park that was also more out in the open. I went down the main road about a mile and saw a big park right along the main road. This area around the temple isn't the greatest area, but I figured we'd be fine since we were out in a very public, open place. Our car was parked right in sight of the park.
The kids immediately jumped out and went to play. To say we were out of place was a pretty big understatement. We were the only white people there and we were getting quite a few stares, but I decided we would just stay for a little while anyway. After all, we spent nearly eight years in Philadelphia- and this park was NOT ghetto compared to many others I'd seen in Philly! The kids had fun playing and made some cute little friends. I met one little 10-year old girl named Summer who was telling me how she would walk to the park to play every day until 7:00 at night. She was telling me about the ducks- when I asked her if she ever fed them, she told me that they didn't have enough money for extra bread. It broke my heart. What broke it worse though, was seeing kids yelled at, and treated roughly by their parents. So many little kids kept coming over to play with me and the kids- and I really think it was because I was smiling and talking and playing with them. I think some of these little kids are so starved for love and attention that the simplest thing, or the smallest compliment would make their faces just light up.

I guess all these different things should have made me more cautious. We only stayed at the park for 45 minutes, but it was 45 minutes too long. When we walked back to the car, I went around to my side to put Emily in her carseat. I was completely shocked when I saw glass all over the ground. Someone had completely shattered the driver's window and the last window on our van. I immediately opened the door to see if my purse was still in it's place- I had had Jacob put it back on the floor between the middle & back seats to keep it out of view. Just as I thought, it was gone. Nothing else had been taken, not our dvd players, or the case of dvd's. Only my purse had been stolen- which had my wallet, spare key, driver's license, $60 cash, cards, gift cards, temple recommend, insurance cards, membership cards, gym cards, $20 worth of stamps, my receipt holder, and my checkbook.

I immediately called the police- and was forwarded to an answering service which said that I would receive a return phone call within the next 48 hours. SERIOUSLY?! It was starting to get dark at that time, and I certainly wasn't going to stick around the park. So we tried to get as much glass out of the way as possible and I drove back to the temple, and proceeded to call my bank and all the other companies. I'd never been so grateful to have an iphone, and so grateful I had kept that with me rather than in my purse!

I was able to get everything cancelled immediately, and had a hold put on our bank account since for some crazy reason I had a checkbook in my purse- I never keep a checkbook in my purse. Just about that time, Jeff finished his session and came back out to the parking lot. We went to get our car vacuumed out- there was glass everywhere! We also stopped to grab something to eat since I hadn't eaten since about noon. Ironically enough, we stopped at Subway and happened to run into about 6 cops who were there as well. They were able to come out and file a report for us. They also informed me that that was NOT a safe area, there are shootings there all the time, and all sorts of crime that goes on. I was told later that approximately 75% of all the crime in the entire city takes place near that area.

We then taped up our windows with plastic and started the long drive home. It gave me a lot of time to sit there and think. I was so upset when I saw the windows- I was so shocked and just felt violated! And yet, as I sat there thinking about everything the overwhelming feeling I felt was gratitude. Sure it was upsetting to have our windows broken and my purse stolen, but I felt so incredibly grateful that it hadn't been anything else. After hearing from the police and others about the serious things that go on, I was so grateful that it had only been windows and a purse, not me or my children. It could have been so much worse. Looking back now, I know so many things I should have done differently, and I'm grateful to know these things now.

The next day was spent getting a new driver's license, opening a new bank account, scheduling a window repair, and starting to get all our direct mortgage/bill/loan/online payment accounts (more than 20) switched. It's been quite a hassle. But anytime I started feeling upset about the situation, I immediately felt guilty for feeling that way, and remember how blessed we were and how grateful I was that it wasn't anything else.

I did get a phone call about 2 weeks later. I missed my phone call, but they called Jeff too. It was a bank in Georgia. The lady was calling from our bank- and said there was a woman with my ID and checkbook trying to cash a check at the bank. But they saw the freeze on the account and were calling to confirm. Just at the time Jeff told them that it was NOT me, and that my purse and ID had been stolen, the teller said that the woman just drove off. Crazy! Thankfully the bank kept my ID, and I sure hope this is the last of the problems. It should help if they don't have my ID.

So that was our eventful moment of the month. We got our windows fixed that very next Monday, so we only had to be rednecks with taped windows for a couple days. It was definitely a good conversation starter. Once again, I am so grateful for a kind and loving Heavenly Father who was watching out for us.