OH Kelly Clarkson!!!!

Normally I would never share such a personal story with the world, but after the roller coaster ride of emotions I have been on lately, I feel sharing this story will be therapeutic for me.  

Wally and I made the decision years ago to only pay cash for the Christmas gifts we buy. We make a budget and stick to it very well by not using our credit cards. So like every year, we go to the bank and get out our estimated Christmas budget in cash. We spend Thanksgiving with our families and usually come away with a good list of gift ideas for the kids, parents, and other family members. I scour the sale ads and plan my attack Thanksgiving night and get up early to hit all the sales on Black Friday. This plan has worked seamlessly in the past, but this year, I had a major curve ball thrown at me right from the get go.  

I started out at Target and quickly found the toys I planned to purchase and made my way to the checkout. Of course, one of the items that was supposed to be on sale did not ring up with the correct discount. The cashier instructed me to go the service desk to get the price adjustment. So I walk 15 feet over to the service desk and then realize, I cannot find my money envelope full of all my Christmas cash. I PANIC! I spent the next 25 minutes on my hands and knees searching every crevice of checkout lane 8. But no envelope and no money! At this point, I am practically in tears and enlist the help of the security guard from Target.  

I have no idea how that wonderful man understood a single word I said through my tears and the stream of snot running out of my nose. But bless his heart, he did, and offered to go pull the security tape for the last 30 minutes.  

After what seemed like an eternity, the security guard comes back and tells me that the person in line behind me took my envelope full of money. It was very clear on the tape. This person also checked out using their credit card, so they could easily find a name and possibly an address but I had to file a police report and get a "real" officer involved. So I file a police report because it was a substantial amount of money. But honestly, I had already accepted the fact that our Christmas cash was - - poof gone! 

I spent most of the day Friday in a state of shock and guilt. Saturday rolls in and I hear nothing at all from the police officer. Then just after I put the kids to bed, the phone rings. It is the Greenwood Police and they are calling to tell me that they have found the person that took my money and they are at their home residence. The person admitted to stealing my envelope full of cash and has all of my money but $40.  

The officer was at my house about an hour later and handed me the same money envelope that was stolen the previous morning with every penny of my money! I don't know exactly why all this came about, but at that point, I thought I must be the luckiest person ever! Christmas was back on for Team Miller!