Julie Milligan

The attached picture of my son's Christmas stocking has always been special to him. My mother needlepointed this for his second Christmas and he has always wanted to use it no matter where he spends the day.

Last Christmas, my family, which included my husband, son Kevin, sister and her dog, were traveling to Cedar Rapids Iowa to be with my 80+ year old parents. Because of the luggage and presents and large dog, we borrowed a car top carrier. Being unfamiliar with it's locks, we didn't get them engaged correctly.

On I-35 opposite Cabella's my sister and I heard 3 pops and looked at each other with a 'What was that?" We were planning to stop for dinner and when we got out of the car, realized the car top carrier had popped open and the sack with some presents (including a CD player, large Homer slippers and all the stockings) had been emptied somewhere along the road.

We immediately returned to where we heard the pops and scanned the edge of the road and the ditch in between. We found the slippers, unharmed, CD player and CD smashed and all the stockings (every one hand made and at least 24 years old) EXCEPT Kevin's.

We spent another hour buying a flashlight and cord to secure the car top carrier and a second look through the ditches where we had found the rest of the things. Reluctantly, we had to go on saying we'd look on the way home four days later when it was daylight.

On our return trip my husband and son scoured the median ditch while my sister and I and the dog scanned the slopes between Cabellas and the highway. Thankfully, Mike and Kevin were successful and the stocking was only slightly dirty on Santa's beard.

We all feel extremely lucky and blessed that we have this special stocking back!

Julie Milligan