I started looking at last year's calendar to move over all the birthdays and anniversaries on to my new one today, and realized that I didn't want to forget some things. Last year at this time, I had just announced my pregnancy to Tim's family and was packing for Atlanta. What a year this has been! I can't believe that just 6 months ago, we were in Atlanta with only 2 kids.
We had so many crazy things happen while we were in Atlanta and at one point, I started writing things down in my calendar so I wouldn't forget. We were attacked physically, financially, and spiritually...and God was always with us.
Here is what I wrote down:
Drive to Atlanta
- car wreck in van
- flat tire on 4Runner
January
- A building burns down in our apt complex first night we were there
- Our apt has more roaches than you could ever imagine. One night I cried because I went back into the kitchen after lights out to get a drink of water and killed at least 20 roaches.
- Internet guys could not figure out how to fix our wiring for 3 weeks, so we had nt internet for way too long!
- No water all day in apt and muffler stolen on 4Runner on the 25th (had to buy off market muffler for over $200)
February
- 2 flat tires on van
- New muffler leaks
- Kids sick with fevers for 3+ days
- Kitchen drawer randomly falls off
- 4Runner is hit by hit-and-run driver
- Door handle on door falls off
- No water all day on 19th
- Gas leak - no hot water or heat for 2 days. We soon discover that our furnace and wiring is outdated and shady. Lots of prayer over this for our remaining stay.
- Unknown number of socks ripped b/c of protruding carpet staples (I know, sounds silly, but it was actually quite painful and became quite an annoyance after stepping on them multiple time a day)
March
- Clogged toilet for several days
- Power out all day on the 8th
- Caleb has fevers 4+ days with ear infections
- Tim has stomach virus
April
- Water out all day
- 3 people shot in complex over drug deal
- Caleb injures leg and limps for 3 days (x-rays showed no breaks)
- Clogged toilet for 3 weeks
- Tim has terrible cold and cough for a week
- I get poison ivy all over my arms that lasts for 5 weeks (I soon discover the kids have been playing in the "ivy" that is right outside my door and I am the only one allergic to it)
May
- Toilet is finally fixed and 4 days later is clogged again.
- Power is out for 8 hours on the 3rd.
- Toilet is fixed again and is clogged 3 days later. (When I say clogged, I mean it. Joel would sometimes forget, and that was always exciting. Let's just say, it was pretty disgusting and smelly in that bathroom.) They never fix it again before we leave....but thankfully we still have one that works.
- One of Tim's ears is clogged for a week and he can't hear out of it.
- Tim has another stomach virus.
I guess a reader of this would think that nothing good happened in Atlanta (if this is the only post you have read, please go back and read about our adventures in Atlanta in my previous posts). That is not it at all. Looking back over all of this, I am amazed by God's faithfulness. He sent us to Atlanta, and He protected and blessed us. We are changed.
