Yesterday the kids and I decided to decorate our van in celebration of Ryan's marathon completion. We picked up a bunch of his favorite foods (if you can't pig out after a marathon, when can you?) and wrote all over the car windows with CONGRATULATIONS, WE LOVE YOU DAD, etc. After a crazy airplane delay, Ryan was coming home very late. I called him, to ask where he was (to prepare the celebrations) and he said he was minutes away. I hurriedly backed our van out of the driveway, left it parked all diagonally (for better effect) and ran back inside. Ryan came in, enjoyed his party and we went to bed.
We woke up this morning, watched A.M. conference, and got ready to go to brunch at some friends' house. Emma walked outside and came back in: "Mom, where's the van?" "Oh, hun, you forgot we put it in the driveway, instead of the garage." "No, mom, I checked both places. It's not there." I'd left the keys in the car, in my haste at trying to get ready for Ryan's return.
I began, in tears, calling friends, hoping they would reveal their practical-car-stealing-joke. No luck. We called the police, couldn't get through and began cancelling credit cards. Of course, the purse was in the car. We tried the police again. This time they answered. I told her our car had been stolen and she replied, "I know where it is. I'll be at your house in a minute." She came over, got the info and told us that she'd seen an abandoned blue van parked by a hotel in town, with writing all over it, and could we go over and identify?
So, end of the story: We got the van (and my coat, which I was hoping was gone, so I would have to replace it) back. We didn't get our stereo back, or my wallet, or our whole cash budget for 2 weeks, or our camera (the reason there will be no pictures for a while), or my MP3 player or my gift card for Aeropostale THAT I'D NEVER USED. We're grateful that we don't have to replace that van (since it's worth like, $5000, maybe). We wish we didn't have to go through the identity theft protection process, as well as getting new IDs, credit cards and cameras (bad luck with those!). But, we'll be fine. Let us know if you see any meth-heads with a tan/brown/pink striped purse, or a semi-nice camera, okay?
p.s. Some friends came to pick up the kids while we sorting everything out, and at their lunch prayer they reported that Jane prayed, "Please bless that guys stole our car and we will find it." So that's probably why we found it.
p.s.s. I just went upstairs and found this note (accompanied by 7 dollars and 12 cents): "you may use me mony --{heart} Emma". How sweet is that? She had been worried earlier, asking, "How much money do we have in our house now, Mom?" and I told her, "We have money in the bank. We have enough, it'll be fine." But she apparently wanted to contribute anyway.
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