Terrified

Last night someone tried to break into our home and I was more scared than I have ever been in my life. I had just finished feeding Jaxon his midnight bottle. I heard some noises in the backyard, but I thought nothing of it since we live out in a wooded area thinking it may have been a deer. Brad had just left work since he works the night shift. I laid Jaxon in his crib, checked on Lily and went out into the living room to turn off the lights and grab the house phone. When I got to the hallway, I heard someone trying to open the sliding glass door. They were slamming the door trying to get it open. We have wooden dowels in all of our doors and windows and all of our doors were locked. I think they saw Brad leave and thought there was no one home. I immediately called 911. I have never called them before. I never needed to. I tried to be calm and quiet giving the dispatcher as much information as I could. I hid in the hallway next to the kids bedrooms like a coward. I had no idea what to do. Nothing like this has ever happened to us before. This kind of thing only happens to "other" people or things I see on TV. I was naive. My first thought was my kids. What if he got in? I was so scared to move that I didn't even think to grab something to protect myself. What would I grab? All I wanted to grab were my kids. As I was on the phone with dispatch, I heard them trying to get into the small windows in our living room, but they were unsuccessful. Then he went to the side sliding glass door and tried to enter through that door. The sensor light turned on and the locks/stick in the door prevented the person from getting any further. When the sheriffs arrived they searched the perimeter of the house. The only thing they found was rocks that were moved from the neighbors back yard so they could get into our yard. They even did a heat scan of the area and found only animals. The police walked through my home checking all windows and doors so that I felt safe. I am very grateful that the police department arrived so quickly. The 911 dispatcher made me feel calm and walked me through the whole thing, they even told me when the police arrived and when it was safe to answer the door. They even patrolled the area all night and stayed in my drive way for a while so that I felt protected.

This isn't the town I grew up in? Whats happened? Our church was robbed.....twice!!! Convenient stores being held up at gun point, break ins, gas getting syphoned out of cars, heroin, meth......are you kidding me?

So now here is where I tell you to lock up. The sheriffs told me the most common break in that they are seeing in Oak Harbor is through the garage door. They use a crow bar to pry the top of the garage open just enough to pull your red cord emergency handle to get the door open. He suggested that the cord be secured up along the track so that it couldn't be pulled. Make sure all of your doors and windows are locked with dowels in them so that if the lock breaks they still can't get in. Lock your cars at night. Get sensor lights. We have two on our home and now we'll be buying a few more. If you hear someone outside turn on your lights, they may freak out and leave. I was so frightened, I didn't even think to turn on the lights. I hid. Not the smartest idea, but I seriously had NO idea what to do, I was to scared. We'll also be replacing the back sliding glass door. Its an old door and they pryed it open enough to hit the stick in the track. We'll also be getting an alarm system for our home and something to protect ourselves. I have NEVER been a gun person fearing that I would be the person to accidental shoot myself.....yes I admitted that. Or that they would get the gun away from me. I will take classes so that I'm not scared anymore.....and then they'll be scared of me.

To the person who tried to break into our home. I am going to pray for you. I don't know why life has been so hard for you that you felt the need to break into peoples homes. Why would you steal from others? Would you like that to happen to you? To your family? You are very lucky that my husband wasn't home. He wouldn't have hid in the hallway like I did and he would not have waited for the police to arrive like I did. He is a big man and he will do anything to protect our home and our family. DO NOT come back to our home! This time I won't be a coward. This time I'll be prepared. Don't even think about going to other peoples homes. I'm not going to judge you, that's not my job to judge you. Only God can do that.