Long Time Gone

Wow!  I had almost forgotten about this blog.  I ran across it today in a search for a recipe.  I might try to make a come back.  We shall see....

A Week of Blessings - #3

By the time we got to problem #3, we should have been expecting something great.  But honestly, all of these things seemed to happen on Monday and Tuesday of that week, so we were really bummed at the time.

For this blessing, there is a back story that goes all the way back to Christmas (and a bit further to 2007).  Around Christmas 2011, I was heading out the door for one of my break work days, when I flushed the toilet in the kids bathroom and heard Big Man yelling from where he was brushing his teeth in our bathroom.  The plumbing was backed up and was coming up the pipes.  YUCK!!!  I know.  Back in 2007 (ish) we had a similar problem and had called a plumber to come out.  He did some work and put in a pipe outside the house with an opening that we could open to check on the plumbing and help relieve the sewage should a back-up occur. 

I opened that valve and we did some plunging and clean up and poured some drain unclogger down the pipe.  All seemed well.

Then about a week before the Week of Blessings, Big Man noticed a bunch of annoying little gnats/flies.  After some online research (i tell you, that man can research anything), he learned they were drain flies from sewage.  So, back to the front yard we went.  We dug and we dug until we uncovered the problem.  The "new" pipe (from 2007) had slipped off and half of the sewage from the house was going out to the sewer.  The rest was spilling into the flower bed.  DOUBLE YUCK!!!  I.KNOW.  I WAS THERE!!!!

We tried to lift the pipe back on - it wasn't broken, it just appeared to have come apart.  That wasn't happening.  We were at the end of ourselves.  Here we were with a broken sewer pipe, a car with the engine light on, and we were just a day away from a flat tire on a new tire.

I did know one thing - we were NOT calling the plumber we had called in 2007.  Back then, we were desperate, and we didn't know any plumbers, so we just started calling ones from the phone book.  We ended up paying $300 for about an hours worth of work and a new pipe.  Knowing that we could be facing a very expensive car repair, I called the daddy of a little girl I had taught 2 years ago who is a plumber and asked him if he could come look and give us an estimate.  I told him we didn't want any work done until we could get an estimate because we were facing a new tire and possible engine repair and I wasn't sure when we would be able to get the pipe fixed.  I was hoping he would be able to just lift the old pipe and stick it back on, at a very reasonable cost.

He came out and fixed it for (my favorite word)  FREE!!!!!  He said that the original pipe did not have the correct plumbers glue on it for an outside mainline pipe.  He also said that our line from the sewer at the street to the house was not laid at the proper angle and that we would eventually need to rip up the entire line and have it relaid.  I told him I hadn't called him looking for a free job, but that I called because I trusted him.  He said he knew that, but that it really didn't cost him much more than about 30 minutes of his time and that the new pipe he put on had been leftover from a job he had done earlier in the summer.  He did ask that we call him when we need to lay the new line (he said we probably have a few years, but that it would need to be done before we would sell the house - that an inspector would catch that defect and if he didn't we could get in some after-sale trouble if we didn't disclose the fact that the pipe isn't correct).  I told him we would call him for sure.  I've also recommended him a few times to some friends that needed a plumber.

And that is the story of the week of blessings.  God is good - all the time and He does care for His children.  Even when it seems like everything is falling apart. 

A Week of Blessings - #2

For the second blessing, it was more Big Man's blessing than mine, but it's all the same.  Ya know, since we serve the same God and are married and all!!

He has a Dodge Challenger (in case you didn't know).  About a month before the week of blessings, the engine light came on, but only when the gas was low.  When we would fill it with gas, the light went off.  So, we made a point to keep it full of gas, thinking maybe it was something with the gas gauge.  That worked for 3 weeks or so, but then it wouldn't go off and the "Economy" light wouldn't come on.  His car gets really good gas mileage - 25 miles per gallon, if he can get it to drive in "economy" mode.  I don't understand it completely, but something about the mds and the cylinders.  Anyway, he was only getting 18-19 mpg, NOT GOOD, especially since he drives almost 100 miles round trip to work each day. 

After doing some research online, he realized that he needed to take it to the dealer to have it check out.  UGH!!  Usually the dealer means big $$$.

It was the drive shaft, or something like that.  But it was under warranty.  They fixed it and we didn't have to pay a penny.  Not for the computer check to see what was wrong, not for labor, nothing!  It was completely covered.  That has never happened for us with anything that has been under warranty.  There had always been some sort of fee we had to pay for - whether it be labor, or for a deductible, or something.  Not this time.  FREE.  FREE.  What a wonderful word! 

We were beginning to love this week!!

A Week of Blessings - #1

Sometimes, things are rough here.  It seems like everything that can go wrong, will go wrong - and wrong, and wrong.

A few weeks ago, we were having one of those weeks, but it quickly turned around and became one of the best weeks ever.

It started on a Sunday.  I had driven the Pilot to church.  It was rainy, but everything was fine and seemed normal.  Until between Sunday School and church the pianist came up to me and said, "you have a flat tire." 

WHAT!!??  I had driven the almost 20 miles to church just fine.  So Big Man and I went out to check.  Sure enough, there was the rear passenger tire, flat as flat could be.  I could have cried.  We had JUST purchased 4 new tires for the Pilot in May.  This was August.  I didn't even have 3K miles on them. 

After church, the men graciously and quickly had the tire off and changed before we could even get out there.  They all inspected the tire and found a very small, "v" shaped cut between two of the treads.  They were all very confident that the tire could be patched.  Another man filled the spare with air, and we were off.

I remembered that when we purchased the tires, the man we bought them from said that when a customer buys 4 tires, he will rotate them every 3K miles for free, fix a flat on each one once for free, and will balance and align them once for free.  I called him Monday, and he confirmed that he would fix the flat, if it could be patched.  He said to bring it in that it would only take a few minutes.

The "v" shape turned out to be a check mark cut about 2 inches in length.  He could not fix it with the regular sized patch he had in the shop.  He would have to order a 3.5 inch patch.  But he wasn't too confident that the larger patch would hold, because of the length of the cut and the direction of it (diagonal).  He said that we should be prepared to purchase another tire, but that he would sell it at cost and would still honor all the "for free" stuff he does on a set of 4 tires. 

I was literally sick to my stomach.  Even at cost, the tire was going to be $125 (plus tax).  I prayed and prayed for that thing.

The next day, we took the car back.  The new patch didn't hold.  He was ordering a new tire.  He said he would take 1/2 payment when I got the tire and the other 1/2 at the end of the month.  That helped a little.  He was so sorry, he said.  It was just a bad cut.

I went home and just cried and cried.  I was thankful for the payment plan.  That was a blessing, but man, that tire.  It still made me sick.  I was angry at myself for running over the blade like object that caused such a terrible cut.

We went back for a third time after school the next day and he came out of the shop just grinning.  He's a generally happy fellow, but he seemed really happy that afternoon.  He said, "Ma'am, it bothered me all night about that tire of yours.  I came in this morning and held it up to the light and there was just a tiny, tiny speck of light shining through the one corner of the cut.  The patch wasn't on it completely.  Luckily (read, Godily), my distributor sent me 2 large patches instead of one.  So I pulled the one off and put the other one on using the light to be sure I covered the hole.  I have bounced, dropped, and sprayed (you know, that stuff that will bubble if there's a hole in your tire) that tire all day today.  I've double glued it and put glue on top of the patch as well.  That tire is fixed!"

I cried and hugged that man right there in the tire shop!!!  I didn't have to buy a new tire.  I didn't even have to pay for the 3 patches that it took to get the tire fixed.  It was wonderful.  I couldn't believe it.  Even after praying and praying, I was still doubtful.

We have been driving on that tire for almost 2 months now.  We've been to the beach and back and have been to 4 out of town soccer games.  I had the tires checked 3 days after having the patch put on and the one with the hole hadn't lost any air.

That was only the beginning of the blessings that week.  There's 2 more, but those will have to wait for another day.  

Soccer

Well, we are into the Fall Season of soccer and Little Man is doing quite well.  He is the Goal Keeper (GK) for his team (U-10) and is loving it.  His coach talked to the GK coach and things seem to be a little better at GK training for Little Man. 

He has taken a few hits.  Mostly to his rib/stomach area.  Big Man did some research and bought some tape to tape his ribs/stomach area.  That makes Little Man (and momma) feel a LOT better.  He is still fearless in the box, but sometimes needs to be reminded to come out and challenge the strikers.  When he does that, he really does a great job.  He is also learning in GK training how to fall on the ball and protect his head and abdomen while still holding the ball.  When he does those things, he doesn't get kicked as much.  It also helps if the referee uses his whistle and stops the other boys from kicking him when he has the ball and is on the ground. 


He has played some in the field - at the striker position.  He's only gotten about 1/2 of a game of total field time, but we are ok with that because he was picked for this team for GK.  Field time is a plus and a chance to improve his foot skills (which are getting better).  They have played 9 games already.  Three of those were tournament games.  They have won 5 of those games.  There has been big improvement in the team over the past 4 weekends. 

The game on Saturday was pretty awesome.  He stopped his first penalty kick (PK).  There have been quite a few PK's taken against him.  A couple of his teammates are rough in the box and a few handball calls in the box have been made against the defense, which results in PK's too.  We (and coach) have always told Little Man that PK's are truly very hard to stop.  On Saturday, Little Man fell on the ball in the box and in the process, knocked the striker down.  The ref called a PK against Little Man for being rough (truly and arguable call, but it is what it is).  It was a direct PK, which is even harder to defend that an indirect PK.  In an indirect PK, your teammates are allowed to form a wall.  In a direct PK, it's just the kicker and the GK.  The boy from the other team kicked the ball and Little Man blocked it soundly!!  There was much rejoicing and I had tears in my eyes!!  I was so proud and so excited.  So were the boys!  They were all jumping up and down and cheering in a circle in the goal box.  As a matter of fact, they were so excited that they almost missed the fact that when Little Man deflected the shot, the ball went out of bounds, resulting in the opposing team getting a corner kick.  The parents and coach had to holler and holler at them to get them to get into corner kick defensive formation.  (we blocked that kick, too.)  IT.WAS.SO.AWESOME!!  I wish I had gotten it on tape, although, I think I will always be able to see that block and the joy on my little boy's face in my mind's eye.  What a precious memory!!

So, soccer is going great.  We are, once again, thankful for this club and glad we put Little Man in it.

Break Recap

Break was 2 weeks ago.  It was a great time!  I babysat some twins for a week.  That was so much fun - but I'm glad she has the twins, and not me.  They are sweet girls, but I can see why people say "double trouble" for twins.  It might be different if I had "grown" with them, but even with my kiddies helping me out, I was exhausted at the end of the day.  Regardless, I will do it again, if my Dear Friend ever needs help again.

The 2nd week of break, we went to the beach.  AHHH!!  What a nice time away.  We left early Sunday morning and came back on Thursday around lunch time.  I have some great pictures, somewhere.  I think they are on Nana's camera.  We went to Nana and Papa's time share.  Chumlee woke up each morning wanting to go "wiwwing" and she LOVED chasing the birds. 

Big Man and I went to P.F.Chang's for his birthday - man that place is expensive!!

We built a sand castle that survived the night/high tide and the beach combing truck that went over the beach each morning.  I think the driver(s) bypassed the castle. 

We flew kites and I chased a fly away kite for 2 blocks and miraculously found it in a tree. 

The kiddies played putt-putt.

We feed the birds.

We enjoyed the beach and the sand.

Big Man and the kiddies jumped waves.

I love the beach.  I love my family.  I love my family at the beach!!

Really??

A while ago, I posted a blog called, "An Open Letter."  Go there to read it, if you haven't already.

A few weeks ago, we got a reminder email about having a children at practice on time and picking them up on time.  Two days after getting that email, we had a major conflict here with drivers/cars being available to pick up and deliver the kiddies to their respective practices and to get Big Man to work.  So, I emailed and texted Princess' XC coaches telling them that I would need to get her 10 minutes early from the next practice due to transportation issues.  I never heard back from them, but really didn't expect a reply because I wasn't asking them, I didn't have a choice.  She had to leave at 4:50 instead of 5:00.  As I dropped her off, I reminded the coach that I would be getting her early and he said that would be fine.  I pulled in at 4:45, and at 4:50 got out of the car and walked over to the group.  They were doing a cool down and I said that I needed her to come.  The coach looked at me (same one i had spoken to before practice) and said, "No.  I need her to stay."  WHAT????!!!!!  ARE.YOU.SERIOUS???!!!  I told him we had an appointment and I needed to leave.  (i had to get home so Big Man could get to his 2nd job.)  He stated again that she needed to stay.  I was furious.  But had no choice - at least not one that did not involve making a HUGE scene and embarrassing my daughter.

She was let out of practice - at 5:05pm.

I spoke to the coach later.  Apparently, during practice, one of the runners was disrespectful to the other coach and as punishment the entire team had to stay and do extra push ups and sprints.  While I disagree with that (on soooooooo many levels), I told him that I "understood" but would have appreciated it if Princess could have left early, especially since I had emailed, texted, and spoken to him personally about our transportation issue and then she could have stayed over another day to do the extra things.  I told him that I was late getting home and my husband was late for work - which was something we had tried to avoid.  He seemed non-responsive, saying only that if I had told him all that, he might have let Princess leave early.  WHATEVER!!

I'm really getting tired of all this "on time" stuff.