God's Blessings Among Frustration

Our good friend, Josh, was in town for the week.  He and I decided to go for a hike in Cheyenne Mountain while Patrick was at work.  This was my first longer (6 mile) hike since getting pregnant.  I was excited for the exercise, company, and getting outdoors on a beautiful day.  I made it successfully with only a couple water breaks (I don't mean that my water broke) and bathroom breaks along the way.  Josh was patient.  

Little did we know that our enjoyable hike would end so poorly.  As soon as we got back to the trailhead, we immediately noticed that something wasn't quite right.  Josh's truck passenger window was busted out AND my purse was missing.  Thankfully nothing else was taken but something so very valuable to me was gone.  NO...it wasn't my purse...my phone...my camera...or my credit cards. Those things can easily be replaced.  My baby quilt that I had been making all summer was gone.  I had planned to stop by the fabric store after our hike to get some fabric for the border and backing.  I had put my quilt in a Walmart bag in my purse, and now it was gone.  I had spent over 20 hours working on this quilt, and I was nearing the end.  It wasn't the money that I cared about. It was the time and heart that was put into that little quilt.  Now Josh didn't just have a car window to fix, he had a sobbing, pregnant, emotionally distraught, hormone ridden woman on his hands.  Once I gained my composure, I called Patrick to cancel all of our cards and then filed a police report.  We raced home fearing that the criminals were now at our house since they now had my address.  Thankfully, the house was fine and the key to the 4Runner and house were not in my stolen purse.  This was a huge blessing.  

After things calmed down a little, Patrick and I decided to head up to the trailhead and be detectives. I have an amazing husband.  He knew how much that quilt meant to me.  We thought maybe that they would have discarded the purse and quilt after getting what they wanted out of the purse.  I am sure that they were really happy with my cheap-o, not smart phone and my lack of cash.  As we zipped around the mountain roads checking disgusting trash cans, I was feeling carsick and sad.  Our thieves had first stopped at Taco Bell and spent $26.  Yes...that is the first place I would go too.  Then they really got crazy and went to a Love's Gas Station and spent $57.  These thieves really are classy.  We looked at both of these spots but with no avail, the purse and blanket were gone.  As I sat in the car at the Love's Station, I  was feeling frustrated and heartbroken.  All of a sudden,  I felt the baby kick.  Not just one small blurp that made me question whether it was gas or my imagination.  It was a constant kick that said, "Hello, mom!  I am here!"  Through my frustration, God gave me the blessing of feeling the first real kicks.  It made me realize what is really important.  I can make another quilt and this second one will be even better.  God knew what I needed at that moment, a little nudge from my sweet baby.