This blog is not just a  place for others to see what’s going on but for me to write things so I don’t forget.

So, here’s what went down this week (besides our normal business that seemed amped up on steroids).

Monday was a very cold morning.  I’m not sure what the outside temp was, but it was nice and chilly.  I delayed getting up waiting on the heat to kick in.  When it didn’t, I finally resigned to actually having to get up and get a shower.

It still wasn’t warming up when I got out of the shower.  Right before breakfast, I checked the temp and realized it was set at 71 but was reading 69.  Hmmm…not good.

A call in to Mark and by late morning my hero had arranged for a heating/cooling repair company to come out.  They reset the thingamajig but also warned Mark that when that starts to happen that the machine is just buying time before it bites the dust.  He also showed Mark where there was a lot of rust on the inside.  Our unit was 14 years old and we knew that it’s time with us was nearing an end.

And so it ended.  After calling and checking and comparing quotes, we got a new system put in on Thursday.   Oh, it shut off again on Tuesday.

While shelling out that much money is not ideal in any case, we saw God’s hand and protection all over us in numerous ways:

1.  It wasn’t cold.  After Monday, even the temps this past week were very comfortable.  We kept the windows open in the afternoon to cool the house off. 
2.  Since it’s between seasons, we were able to have someone come out immediately.  If we were in winter mode, we would have to wait for a week or so.  And the company that did it was awesome!  We were really grateful for their attention to detail, speediness, and general personalities.
3.  We knew that parts of the unit were rusty. We knew it was old.  But what we didn’t know until they took it out was that the thingamijigs that transport heat, etc (read:  carbon monoxide) had holes in them.  Which means, we had carbon monoxide seeping in to our home every time the heat ran.  We have a carbon monoxide tester in our home (and I recommend that anyone who has a gas heating system does…it’s really a good safety measure), but it never went off except when it needed it’s batteries changed.  The heating/cooling guys surmised that because our house is “old” that it’s not as tightly secure as newer homes and was letting out just enough carbon monoxide to keep the alarm from going off and us from getting deathly ill.
4.  So, even though carbon monoxide was coming into the home, because we haven’t been running it often, we never noticed.  If it had been cooler weather, there could have been a potential for lots of health issues all around.

We are very grateful for our new unit and more than that, that God protected and provided when we needed it (even when we didn’t know we needed it).

I was a little absent from blogging last week.  I guess that was obvious.  We’re fine here.  Malachi is growing and moving and grooving and having himself a little party in my tummy and I love it!  The kids are all, for the most part, well (the sniffly noses that come with fall weather excluded). 

It’s just that our family has friends that were hit with some hard news to swallow.  The “C” word.  Cancer.  Breast cancer to be exact.

I told another friend today that I never thought we’d be the pink ribbon kind of people but things look different when you really know someone who’s been diagnosed with it.  And now we have.

It’s a reality check.  We’re young (okay, relatively).  We have children.  But we’re not immortal.  There’s still sin and disease and death and all these yucky things we have to deal with are a part of it.  I know this.  None of us are immune.  I know this too.

But it’s hard.  When you know you have a friend who is several hours away facing such hard decisions for herself and her family.  She has a two year old.  And a one month old.  I pray for strength for her and her husband every day.  And for their two precious children. 

And if you think she fits the risk factors she doesn’t.  Barely 30.  Breast feeding mama.  She even eats tons better than I do.  Grows her veggies and all.  But there it is.  That “C” word doesn’t care about risk factors or any other numbers science puts out.

While this diagnosis hangs over them.  Here I sit grumbling and complaining because my back hurts or a kid is whiny or I have to go to the bathroom for the tenth time in ten minutes (the joys of carrying low…at least I can breathe).  My complaints seem so miniscule and remind me once again to lift them up in prayer.

So, if  you see the Crimson Cruiser sporting a “Save the Tatas” sticker (like Mark would ever let me do that), you’ll know what’s up.   I know we’re not the only ones who have loved ones dealing with diseases but this is the closest it’s hit for us.  And, hopefully, if you’re reading this, you’re lifting up this family or others you know up to God.  He alone is Jehovah Jireh, the Provider, the Healer, the Sustainer.

And as I type, all I can think of is 2 Corinthians 12:9, But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Paul suffered so greatly for Christ but even in the darkest points, he knew Christ would sustain him and lift him up for His glory alone.

We are home.  We are whole and we are slowly getting back in to the routine of things.  It’s both nice and sad that all the kids survived without us for a whole week.  I missed them so much and got the largest hug from Ceili Rain when we returned.  As soon as we know more about what is going on, I can share…sorry to be so vague.  I will share as soon as we can.

More later but now on to schoolwork again!

I hate when people do this on their blog but sometimes it’s just required!  There are possibly some big changes coming for the bunch (besides the birth of a baby).  This week will be a big determining factor so prayers for wisdom and safety for all are much appreciated.  I’ll write more when we know more but suffice it to say that it’s big things from a big God for our crew and we’ll have to leave it at that right now.

I can tell the first trimester blahs are getting close to being over.  I’m starting to brainstorm creative ideas.

And today, for the first time in over six weeks, I actually got to my sewing machine and started creating.  Of course, I had to have an afternoon nap first and then clear out the mass of stuff that had accumulated on and around my craft area the past six weeks.  But, I got there and got in some quality time with my machines.  It does a heart good.

During my brainstorming and nausea and “restricted activity” and Zoe’s bought with a virus (thankfully, not strep but two more times and those tonsils are gone!), I also watched HGTV Design Star.  That just made me crave a big project (well, that and pregnancy always seems to bring a big project).

So, my next big project is going to be our china cabinet.

Mark and I found it about two to three years ago at a used furniture store.  I love it.  But, it’s stained.  And nothing is stained in my kitchen.  Well, the floors are but that doesn’t count.  So, it kind of just sticks out like a big brown box on my wall near the dining room table.

So, thanks to Pinterest, I’ve put together what I’m going to do to overhaul the china cabinet.

First, paint.  My dad is going to flip but it’s paint or nothing…and here’s what it will look like: