Mystery solved

 They were lost....

...but now they are found !

I've been in mourning the last few days,

 mourning the loss of  4,378 photo's from my iPhoto library.

Monday night I sat down about 9pm to do some editing....

Normally when I click on my iPhoto program, this is what i see 

281 glorious folders which contain 4,378 cherished photos,

but that night all I saw was a box basically telling me to set up the program, as if it never had been. 

My computer savvy husband and I did all we could to find the lost photos. 

We searched the internet for ideas... things that might lead us to the photos

We exhausted all the things we could do at home (without any special recovery tools). 

I was planning a trip to to the twin cities on Tuesday, so I got on the computer and set up an appointment at the apple store in the Mall of America. I thought I had to give it a try but

 I really didn't think they'd find the lost pictures either. 

It was no easy task for the expert, 

I think I even saw some sweat on his brow. 

He did all the things Rick and I did at home, still go luck... Until

He plugged in a fancy little tool that looks through my computer for "usage/storage". After about 5 minutes, "My expert", had a little grin on his face and said, Ahhhh there they are.

I could have kissed him or even hugged him, but I thought it inappropriate.

I was overjoyed and so thankful!

So if you're still reading... here's where they were hiding

In my main trash can (not even the iPhoto trash), within a folder called "audreys photo book"

My iPhoto library was in a little folder in the trash....WHAT!!!

 First of all how did they get in Audrey's photobook folder, and then end up in the trash.

We looked in the trash initially, but goodness we never thought to look in Audrey little folder. 

It's all a mystery, but I'm glad it's been solved

Lesson learned.... BACK UP YOUR PHOTO'S  :)