my worst nightmare

came true.

We live in the basement of a 5-story, gigantic house.

This gigantic house has a security system that is armed 24/7.

when we come home, we have 30 seconds to punch in the code, or the alarm goes off.

usually we punch the code in after, like, 5 seconds.

it beeps loudly until you do.

so it's normal for me to hear that loud beeping when Wade comes home.

its also normal for me to hear him punch in the code as soon as he walks in.

I had just put miles to bed.  He was sleeping soundly.  I was finally sitting down to relax for the day and I heard the familiar beeping from upstairs.  I waiting for the code to be punched in.  But it was taking longer than normal.  I waited a little longer, wondering if maybe Wade just had his hands full or something.  Still no code.  The beeping started to get faster and louder as a warning to hurry up and punch it in.  I ran upstairs to see what was going on and there was no one there.  Just before the alarm began to sound, I heard sounds coming from the floor above me.  I could also hear the wind and the rain from the storm outside, as if a door or a window were open.  I didn't have much time to think.  I frantically ran downstairs, ripped Miles out of bed and grabbed my phone and made a run for it.  Out into the storm, barefoot, no jacket, with my confused little baby who was getting soaked by the second. 

this is not my picture. (thank you google images, once again.)  but it gives you a good visual of a brownstone...

there are two entries, one underneath the stairs and one above the stairs.  We never use the one above the stairs.

As I ran past the outside stairs, I looked up to see the two front doors wide open.

I rang the neighbor's doorbell over and over but no one answered (at least not quick enough for me), so I ran to the neighbor on the other side and rang their doorbell over and over.  In the meantime, I had managed to call 911, {which called UTAH's 911! hello! whats the point. don't worry, they transferred the call.} The neighbor answered and hurried me in from the storm, but I couldn't quite spit the words out.

"Someone's in my house. I think someone's in my house. The doors are open above the stairs. The alarm went off," all came out in very choppy sentences. 

the alarm company also notified the police, and a few minutes later, about 9 of them showed up.  I handed Miles over to the neighbor and went outside to meet them.  They didn't say much before they all swarmed the house like a crazy movie and went in screaming, "BOSTON POLICE!!"

they didn't find anything.

nothing.

no one.

to help me feel safe, they walked me through all five floors. yes, I was accompanied by 9 police men as we walked through each floor and looked under every bed, in every closet, behind every shower curtain, to make sure I knew that there was no one in my house.  I still stayed with the neighbor until Wade could get home.

I don't know who opened that front door.  I don't know how.  I just know that I'm so grateful my little baby is ok. 

also - that i never want that to happen to me ever again.  how long do you think until I will be able to sleep at night?