MY TURN

You don't even know what I went through to get these pictures. Nay, to SAVE them. You will...

Upon our return from California, in my tired STUPOR I uploaded each card (a total of 4 memory cards). As I was about to plug in my camera, I heard a distinct, "CHECK THE DELETE SETTINGS" whisper in my head. Knowing that it was already on "delete after upload," I thought nothing of it and proceeded.

I thought of that prompting again as to my HORROR I realize I was missing more than 500 pictures. Most of which was my family, and the Rahm clan. Some how, one card was deleted with out being uploaded. Panic. Tears. Stress. I was a mess. Immediately, I do a google search, "how to recover deleted images off a memory card."

I downloaded a bunch of free software, all of which did NOTHING. I finally concluded that I needed professional help. I took the suspect card to Ritz camera. The closest was 14 miles away. Turns out that is about 30-40 minutes. The first time we went out there, it required 2 stops to pee on the side of the road (Joe Joe), I pull over to pick up a dropped lunch (Sadie), and 1 stop to nurse (Brynlee). One hour later, and my kids fell asleep 5 minutes before we parked. I waited in the car for almost 2 hours while they napped.

"We will call you if we find anything," they say.

One week later, they had recovered nearly everything that was on the card. I leave the kids with a friend, and go to pick them up. I insert the CD, and realize IT WAS THE WRONG DISC. Back home, dejected, round up the other three discs, and go back. AGAIN. I leave a description of what the pictures look like I am missing, tell them which disc I am pretty sure it is on, and say, "start there, if you find them, there is no need to look at the others."

One week later, they are ready. I drive another 30 minutes to pick them up, insert the disc, and find THE ARE THE WRONG PICTURES. I want to cry there in the store, but I don't. I thank them for all their work, walk out to my car and cry there instead.

"GO BACK. THEY ARE ON THE 2GB CARD." I hear that prompt in my head again. This time, I listen. Embarrassed, and determined, I get out of my car and go back inside. I tell the poor girl who has now done this three times for me that they are still not right, and I ask her which disc she recovered the pictures from. She tells me one of the 4GB discs. She hadn't even looked at the 2GB. I ask her to look, while in the same breath asked how long it would take because I didn't want to go back home, again. She said she would run it right then, and call me. I bet you can guess how this story ends...

Moral: things go a lot smoother when you listen to the spirit the first time. But I also am so appreciative of second chances.