Oh,what a day we have had!  Yesterday I had the bright idea to suggest to Jeff that we completley rearrange our home ofice.  This meant unplugging and replugging all of the computer stuff.  We have a lot of computer stuff, including two printers, because of our business.  It had needed to be arranged more efficiently for a while, but Jeff never quite felt like it was quite the right time . . .  until yesterday when he agreed to do it.  I had this bright idea that he could do the actual moving of stuff while I directed the dc in the organizing and cleaning up efforts.  Sounds easy enought, right?  I had NO idea that computer stuff that worked fine before it was unplugged might not work when it was plugged back in.  My porr husband spent hours working with the various computer things trying to get evertyhing working and networked properly.  

We planned to spend the day in Greenville today doing errands and seeing the surgeon.  Not everything was working with the computers by the time we went to bed last night, so Jeff had to do more work this morning to have things ready for the employees.  This led to a hasty rush out of the house a full hour later than we had planned to leave.  Yuck.  We stopped by the place that is holding our van hostage (er, I mean fixing it) to see about the repairs.  We were told they would call us in an hour or so.  I’ll let you skip to the end of the story on this one and just let you know they didn’t call.  Ugh.

 We zoomed through our errands and had a great time together even though we had to hurry.  The doctor’s visit went really well.  Noah is going to have the gj-tube surgery two weeks from Wednesday – I think that is the 22^nd.   He will spend at least one night in the children’s hospital.  They could have done it this Wednesday, but we didn’t want to risk having him in the hospital on his birthday on Friday!  The hospital computers were down so we spent two hours at the doctor’s trying to get the surgery scheduled.  Noah was less than happy so we took turns walking him around and were pretty exhausted by the time we left.

 As we approached our home town, we noticed that Jeff’s air conditioner was running really warm all of a sudden.  Then his “volt” light went on, so he figured there was a problem with his battery.  We decided to go to the auto parts store before going home.  As we pulled out into the second busiest intersection in town, the car died completely.  We were stuck out in the intersection blocking traffic in 102 degree weather with a baby that can’t regulate his body temperature.  This was not fun.  There was so much traffic that Jeff couldn’t even get out to push the car to safety.   Jeff called our friend Carolyn who was around the corner at our house with the children.  He hoped that when she got there he could jump his car or something.  As we were waiting, we heard a loud honk and looked up to see a semi truck heading toward us.  Jeff started waving and yelling that we couldn’t move.  The trucker pulled over, got out, and offered to help us.  Jeff told him that a friend was coming.  The trucker stopped traffic with his truck and helped push the car out of the intersection, then told us that our friend had arrived.  A car pulled in front of us and out jumped a complete stranger, ready to help!  It wasn’t Carolyn at all but a bystander who wanted to help.  The trucker directed traffic out of the way while Jeff and this man got the car started again.  

 We got going again, until we approached the next intersection – the very busiest one in town.  We were out in THAT intersection when the car died again.  Another stranger stopped and helped us push the car into the nearest parking spot.  Poor little Noah was really dangerously hot at this point, so I walked him to a nearby restaurant and asked the owner if I could just sit inside while Jeff worked things out.  Not only did he give us a cool, quiet place to sit, but he even brought me a big glass of ice water.  I think it was the best drink I have ever had!!  I managed to get some into Noah by stopping off the straw with my finger then dribbling the water out of the straw into his mouth.  I was so glad when he started to cool off at last.  

 Our friend arrived and took Jeff to the auto parts store where Jeff got a battery and alternator.  We were less than a quarter of a mile from home but they could not get Jeff’s car running – as soon as they would disconnect the jumper cables the car would die.  Poor sweet Jeff had to stay there for another hour waiting for a tow truck to bring the car home.  (I got a ride home with our friend.  Jeff wouldn’t think of having Noah and I stay in the heat.)

 That dear, hardworking guy was prepared to stand outside in the dark and fix the car by flashlight.  I called his parents to update them on the doctor’s visit and told them what happened, and his mom offered to drive him to and from work tomorrow so he could just come in tonight and fix the car tomorrow.  She also ran to the store for me.  Our kitchen is being torn out tomorrow (said with fear and trembling LOL) and I got home too late tonight to bake bread.

 I feel sort of like I have been on a rollercoaster all day, but I have to share one important thing about it all.  When we went to Babies R Us to get Noah’s cage (er, I mean Super Yard LOL), we passed a very frazzled young mom with a baby in a stroller and a youngster on a leash.  The little tyke wasn’t phased by the leash at all and was pulling desperately in a bid to escape.  The baby was fussing and the mom was trying on various baby carriers and slings.  She was clearly near her breaking point and I felt so bad for her.  I saw her struggling with different very complicated baby carriers and even though we were in a huge hurry I just couldn’t ignore her struggles.  I went over and offered my help.  I took down the display model of my favorite brand of carrier and showed her how to use it.  Noah was happy to model for her, then I helped her try it with her baby.  Jeff didn’t mind the delay and was glad for the chance to bless this harried mommy who clearly needed a way to wear her baby while she kept her hands free to keep her very busy little girl safe in public.  As we left, I commented to Jeff that I was thankful we were there to help her and that I knew that if we were ever in need of help from strangers, God would send them at just the right time.  I had no idea that we were just hours from needing that very help!

 God sent the truck driver.  He sent the man who jumped our car.  He sent the man who pushed us to safety the second time.  He sent the restaurant owner who gave Noah and I a cool place of rest.  He prepared our friend Carolyn to be there to help us, and Jeff’s mom whose schedule for tomorrow cleared up “unexpectedly” so that she would be free to drive Jeff tomorrow.  He even allowed us to complete all of our errands on time even though we lost time leaving late and helping that dear mommy in the store.  Every time it would seem that we are having a problem, God shows us that the “problem” is just a way for Him to show himself and bless us in ways we couldn’t have imagined.

 I need to end this and go to bed, but first I want to ask one thing of all of you.  Many of you know about the recent benefit that was held for our family.  One of my friends, an author who donated gifts for our benefit, is going through a severe trial of her own right now.  They have terrible, serious problems with their home to the point that it has become unlivable.   Our friend Jim Erskine who organized our benefit offered to do something similar for Tammy.  She didn’t ask him to do this, and he isn’t in the business of just running benefits for people, but if you read her story you will see why he was called to offer his help.  Would some of you be willing to be “that stranger” who shows up to help Tammy in her time of need?  Many of you gave so much to us when we needed help, and we were so blessed.  We will be doing everything we can to publicize Tammy’s benefit as a way of “giving back” and we will pray that she will see an equally miraculous blessing so that they can have a safe place to live.  We weren’t able to donate a product for the benefit because only electronic products were accepted, but here is what we are doing:  if you will post about this benefit on your blog and send us the link (email or leave a comment here) by midnight Tuesday, we will enter your name in a drawing.  We will choose three bloggers to receive a $20 Hands and Hearts gift certificate.  

 You can read all about Tammy’s situation here:  http://www.chirotoons.com/cardwell/

 Love,

Kate and Jeff (who are VERY thankful for our airconditioned house on this hot, hot night)