The Break-In

Preface
As much as David hates to think about it, his internship has finally (almost) come to a close.  This week EY shipped him off to Florida, where he and all the other EY interns from this year have "training".  This means good food, Disneyworld, and apparently some meetings.  I think it will be a rough week for him.  Anyhow, he comes back on Saturday, Monday is his last day of work, and then we're off to Utah soon after!

Some of you may remember how rough it was for me when we first got here and David had to leave for Dallas for a week.  Well, I didn't feel as bad about him leaving this time, now that I know the city fairly well  and don't feel so cooped up in the house all day.  We have a pretty good routine now, plus I have some things to get done in preparation for leaving, so that should make the time pass quickly.  I was (and still am) feeling pretty optimistic, really.

The Break-In
So this morning we got ready to drop David off at the airport.  Just before it was time to leave, I went out to bring the car around from the covered garage where we park it, to the side of the apartment complex.  Imagine my surprise when I go to open the driver's door only to find this:

Shattered window, obviously.  You can even see a little patch below the
window where the cop lifted fingerprints.

That's right, our car was broken into.  The window was smashed, a whole dollar's worth of change strewn across the seat, and everything from our glove box stolen, which was basically our owner's manual, registration and phone chargers.  Whoever chose our car of all the cars in the garage must have been pretty disappointed!

The Lesson
Well, I tell this story not so much to complain - I did plenty of the the last time David left - as to tell what happened in spite of our little stroke of bad luck.  Admittedly, for a moment there I started to think things like 'Of course this would happen to us right now'.  I even found myself cursing all the homeless people and ruffians in Austin, thinking it must have been someone like that.  I know, I'm horrible.  HOWEVER over the course of the day, the following happenings helped me change my attitude:

• The maintenance workers at our apartment complex offered to take David to the airport, saving us from having to drive there with a missing window and shattered glass everywhere, and allowing me to be able to call the police and take care of things properly.  Throughout the day they continued to ask how things were going and if I needed anything.
• I never got to feel sorry for myself that I was having to do this without David, because I had family members calling all morning, offering help and keeping me company.
• The police officer who came to check for fingerprints was kind and happy, and even lifted Paisley's hand print from the car and gave it to us as a little souvenir.
• When I found out Mini of Austin wouldn't have our window in until the next day, I was concerned about parking it in the garage overnight again with a window missing for fear of any further vandalizing.    In the afternoon, I dropped off the car at Mini, and prepared to make the 1.5 hour bus trip home, plus 30 minute walk to the bus stop.  To my eternal gratitude, the man helping me offered to have a Mini employee drive us all the way home! This also saves me from having to wait there for hours tomorrow, with a sleepy toddler, while they fix the window.
• Everyone we came in contact with, whether in person or over the phone, was just extra helpful and warm.  

These things may not seem like much, but as a result what could have been a tiresome and unpleasant day turned into something quite different.  Instead, it was a reminder to me that while bad things happen sometimes, life is still good.  And while there are people out there who do bad things, I should never fall into the mindset that people are bad.  I like the way Anne Frank said it: "In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart".  I suppose if she could believe it I certainly should!    

So, at the end of this long and unusual day, I just have to say I'm grateful.  For family, for good people, for life's strange lessons, and just for the gift of life in general.  It sure is an adventure.