And now for a change of pace...

Our car was not broken into, rather it was driven into... Okay, the grammar isn't proper, but you get the gist, eh?

We went into the big "W" store (grrr... was only there because of the rain and it being a one-stop store and practice being cancelled without telling us so we were already there... inhale, exhale...) Okay, I'm back. Actually, it was, in the end an interesting and God honoring experience and I'm not joking at all or exaggerating either.

We came out of the store and I asked MMH,"Where did we park?" Because in the spot in which I thought we were parked was a van that looked like ours except for the fact that the back end had been rather crunched in.

So, here's the GOOD side... you know, what it's SUPPOSED to look like.

Please note how the pieces all fit together and there is no TRAUMA to the vehicle.

And then, here's the back corner and the rear left quarter panel.

Note the major division between the upper and lower portion of the quarter panel. Also the squished appearance on the corner. You can't see it but there's a whole lot of champagne colored paint there now as well.

Amazingly the lights are all intact so no need to worry that a policeman will stop me to ticket me for broken/malfunctioning lights. Whew! Sorry for the picture quality. Dark garage, dying camera battery and trying hard not to let my reflection of me in my nightie show... oh yeah, that would be fun. NOT!

So, yesterday the break in, then today the needless drive across town for the CANCELLED practice and now this... but, what was this? Although I really really thought I would get mad I couldn't. Because as I approached the car and a "W" employee asked if I needed help and pointed out the van that did this, a very sad, contrite and crying young man exited the van. I thought of my own boys and what they would be like had this happened to them and how I'd want them treated. So, we talked and I asked if he saw my daughters, now sitting in the car, to which he replied, "Yes." "Well, " I said, "they weren't hurt, I wasn't hurt and you weren't hurt. The only thing hurt was my car and my feelings because I didn't like seeing my new car banged up, but it really didn't matter because it was only a thing." I told him, and later this mother, that it's not like the car really mattered. It was all going to be destroyed in the end, but what mattered was people and their souls. I told him God was being gracious to me, I was being gracious to him. I also told him that I thought God was teaching me to be thankful for the people in my life and I hoped God was teaching him to be a good man. All in all it was quite a good time, standing in the rain, under one umbrella with the 16-year-old boy who had hit my van while his mom stood with us. We had a great time and to be honest I never really did get upset. I will say though that Mr. Policeman could have been a bit more... well, personable? He was very intense, very business like and never cracked a smile. OH well... he did his job so I guess that's good.

Next on the agenda is to find out what this little adventure will cost. OH speaking of which, at one point the young man was able to talk and make a small joke. He mentioned that he now wondered if it was worth it to make this trip to "W" just for yarn and twizzlers. He figured they were the most expensive items he had even bought. You know, $1.65 for twizzlers, a couple bucks for yarn and several thousand dollars in damage to the car. I guess that's why we have insurance.

Blessings, Kim