With Liberty and Justice For All (especially me!)

Over $300 in gift certificates returned to me!

May of 2007 my purse was stolen out of my car while I was exercising at 24 hour fitness.  When I called the police they told me that I was one of about 5 thefts from that location that morning. If you have never had anything personal stolen before I will tell you that it is an awful feeling.  After you get over the initial anger of the items or money that you have lost you start to just feel very violated and paranoid.  I started having nightmares that they knew my address, had pictures of my kids from my phone, knew my bank account number, had my mail key...I was constantly afraid that they were watching my house.  A few months after the burglary I got a call from the police dept. telling me that they found some of my items in a hotel room in Tacoma.  I couldn't believe it!  I thought there was no chance I would ever see any of my belongings again.  The suspects had been on the most-wanted list for some time.  They said they could break into a car faster than you could get in with your keys, especially on Chevy's.  So I went down to the police station to identify my items.  They had almost eveything that was in my purse at the time it was stolen.  The only thing I could remember missing was $200 of Fred Meyer gift certificates and a jewelry set I had just purchased for Kennedy for her birthday. Interesting enough, the police said the suspects admitted the only place they went after the break-ins was Fred Meyers. 

So a year and a half later I finally get a letter stating that the suspects have been convicted and I can come down and get my stuff!  I feel like I just had my Christmas in Oct!  In order to support Karsyn's gymnastics team, I purchase as much as possible with gift certificates that I order through her booster club.  So I had fun this weekend shopping with my gift cards that I thought I would never see again.  It almost felt like free money!