A Long Week

It has been a long week so far! It really started last Thursday when Spunky broke the carbon monoxide detector. As I was falling asleep that night I realized that the symptoms that Vet2Be has been having for months (headaches, stomachaches, nausea, extreme fatigue) might be from carbon monoxide poisoning. I didn't put all the symptoms together until that night. We've been treating the symptoms as separate! So he has been sleeping upstairs for the past 4 nights.

Friday the hay truck came to deliver 10 ton of hay--and got stuck in the snow. As they were making their way out of the access road they were sliding into our camper so our very kind neighbor hooked up his truck to pull the camper out of the way so the hay truck could make the turn. Our neighbor slid into the garden with the camper and got stuck. So another neighbor came down with his diesel duley (that happened to have almost bald tires on the back 4) to pull him out.

In the end it took almost 3 hours to get all three trucks out of the snow, ice, and mud. In the process they tilled under all the blackberry bushes and 1/4 of the raspberry bushes. But I was glad that they were able to get out! As the 'train' of three trucks was making their way down the straight part of the access road they started slowing down. Everyone shouted, "Don't Stop!" I ran out into the main road (not a big road) and stopped the 3 cars that were coming. Once they saw what was coming out of our access road they understood and were very patient!

Saturday we found out why Vet2Be's light fixture didn't work. After about 2 hours of hunting Hubby and a neighbor who is an electrician found about 5 splices in 30 feet of wire leading to Vet2Be's bedroom. All the splices were black and charred. Another reason for Vet2Be to be feeling so sick lately. They also found a spot that was arcing above his bed. It is all replaced now, but Vet2Be's bedroom is not put back together yet. I have washed all the bedding to get rid of the insulation that came down, but we haven't put the ceiling back up so Vet2Be is still sleeping upstairs in front of the woodstove.

Saturday also brought Blondie and her husband from another state. They wanted to be here for Monday (when Son1 gets home from Mexico) and for the Eagle Court of Honor for Vet2Be (Saturday 16th).

Sunday Spunky and her husband came by. They asked if I would make the burial clothing for a baby that will be born this coming Tuesday and buried on Saturday. The baby is RN's brother and sister-in-law's baby, their neice. There is no chance for the baby to survive. There are too many problems, the least of which is that her heart is outside her chest and there are only two chambers. Hubby also volunteered to help build the casket for the baby. Carpenter, Spunky, Hubby, Vet2Be, and Son1 worked on Tuesday to start it. Carpenter (Spunky's husband) and Spunky were here most of the day today (Wednesday). It isn't done yet, but it is built and all is ready for the finish work to be done over the next few days. It is beautiful. They made it out of walnut and maple.

I have the booties finished. The patterns for the gown and bonnet cut out, but I have to shop for the fabric and trim. I will also be lining the casket. Such a sad time for that family, I wish there was something more we could do for the family. This is their first child.

Monday brought the furnace technician out to check for carbon monoxide. He couldn't find any but I had had the basement windows open for 5 days by that point. He did find a cracked heat exchanger. The heat exchanger was under warranty, but the labor cost was over $600. The furnace tech came back on Tuesday for about 3 hours to finish the repair.

Monday also brought our Son1 home from Mexico. He had been gone for 2 years and it was great to see him! As we were pulling his clothing out of storage to wash, Vet2Be said, "His clothes looked alot bigger before he left!" Vet2Be has grown so much that he fits in his big brother's clothes now! We thought it would be great fun to have Vet2Be wear Son1's clothes to the airport. Sure enough, Son1 saw Vet2Be before he saw any of the rest of us! It was a wonderful moment :)

So, it was a long week. Lots of things happening that don't normally happen. Some wonderfully happy things, and some sad things. We are grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who supports and sustains us, who gives us a sure knowledge that there is life after death and a reunion with loved ones. We are grateful that he is mindful of our every need and our every care. We are grateful for the Gospel that brings such good news to us and to the world.