I lied in that last post, or more broken things

Right before I headed off to the beach.............our AC went out.

It wasn't such a big deal for me because I left town while it wasn't working. BUT Matt had to stick it out. And he did. And he deserves a husband of the year award for dealing with it all alone. (well with the help of our little mutt of course)

In the end, it wasn't a pretty break. We ended up with a brand spankin' new AC unit (and a lot less "rich"). At least it works well now.....and we have a warranty for the next 10 years...........

So take THAT broken AC. And, Matt, I love you for sweating it out with the best of them and getting it all fixed up before I returned home Monday night.

I feel like...

I'm running out of good stories lately. Perhaps after a trip to the beach this weekend, I will feel refreshed and ready to blog about something more than our garden or broken items in the house. (I mean heck, I still haven't even shown you all the good things, wonderful things about our new house)

We shall see. But until then, I'm hanging out with the youth in the hot sun and sand!

Homeownership

Our house has been a sauna lately. So Matt began snooping around the house a few weeks ago at which point we realized air was not coming in through the vents in either of the front two rooms.

After some inspection by the professionals, it appears that our ductwork was not properly installed (I know, I know, the inspector should've caught that, but now it's too late).

Today, they are fixing up our ductwork and while we are at it, we decided to go ahead and blow new insulation into the attic. Here's hoping this will help us beat the heat! (and get some more money in our pockets each month....)

Oh the joys of owning a home!

And again...

We've had another destructive pest hit our "crops." I mean, why didn't someone warn me about all these crazy bugs and their nastiness.

Anyway, we picked all of our peaches and let them sit on the kitchen counter a few days before I finally decided to cut into one and see if they were ready. To be fair, we knew that most of them had little black dots, which we assumed meant something had attacked. But, of course, we didn't think it would ruin ALL of them.

So I cut one. And I found a maggot. I cut another one thinking maybe it was a fluke. I found a maggot. I cut a third. And, yep, you better believe I found another maggot inside. It appears we've been swindled again by the bugs. And these were particularly disgusting. Don't worry, I didn't take a picture, I'll spare you. But that's the end of our wonderful peach crop for now. Guess we'll need to do some spraying next year....

Reflections

I've been at a bit of a loss for words after the past week. It was truly a terrifying thing to pack a bag in an hour, making certain to include a nice dress because you are headed home to help your dad fight for his life. Definitely not an experience I want to repeat.

But now that we are on the other side and dad's life is in the clear, I think this experience calls for some reflections on life, family, and the mystery of love and healing in the world.

Although it was certainly not the way we would have liked for a family gathering to take place, it just so happened that dad's illness gave reason for me, Matt, sis and Caleb to head to Texas to spend some quality time together (with mom too of course). It reminded us all what wedding vows and our commitment to family really mean. Our family has always been a special one and this event was a reminder of how much I truly love each person and their unique contribution (including our newest male members of the family). I think we are all a little bit more comfortable with one another as we cried together, laughed together, and prayed earnestly with and for one another.

The week was also a reminder that prayer is powerful and that sometimes "family" can extend beyond blood relatives. If it weren't for our "other mother" Carolyn, dad might not have made it to the ER in time. I was reminded of how important friendships and church families are in this world. What would we do without them?

And then I was reminded of the mystery of life and love-that greater power in this world, our Creator and Sustainer. So many events occurred in just the right order to get dad where he needed to be and then to get our family together to help support and encourage one another. Our love for our dad and for our God transcended all that was happening and opened up a way to see something greater-a way to appreciate life and healing. A way to appreciate a Mother God who holds us under her wings and a Father God who wipes our tears when we hurt.

I am thankful to be standing on the other side of this trauma in our lives. Although dad still has a long journey ahead, we have a lot to learn from where we have been. And so we will tie our shoes and press on....

Life Lately

Woah...life took a very different turn over the past week. Dad has been very sick with an infection in his foot over the past 5 days. If you are interested in knowing more and following his progress, you can check our family blog at www.thegilbertlife.blogspot.com

We are thankful for all of the love, support, and prayers. We continue to pray for dad's strength and healing.

Thanks be to God for life and the joys of family.