A New Home, Part 2
As businesses began more and more to open the weekend after Ike, James' search for work stepped up. A job that he had been all but promised right before the storm, was given to two less trained individuals, who apparently required half the pay.
But Hurricane Ike delivered a blessing we didn't anticipate: FEMA, who is helping to clean up this mess, requires there to be paid monitors of the clean-up activity. James is a great worker, but i'm betting he's even better at watching other people work. He took the job, and has been working ever since. Only trouble is, this job is a "make hay while the sun is shining" sort of gig, and they're working 7 days a week, 14 hours or so per day. This really wouldn't have been a problem if it weren't that we weren't moved yet.
We had planned to move our things to the house on September 25. My aunt and uncle had generously offered to get us a u-haul truck to make this easier, and we accepted. I had an interesting realization during this time. See, my husband is the man who takes care of business in my life. The car breaks down, James can fix it. The cabinet needs fixing, James can do it. Something large needs moving, James can move it.
Here's some background:
When we first got married, and we were moving furniture into our apartment, some kind people in the church had given us some furniture and provided people to help move it in. One of the items of furniture was a 7-foot long sofa sleeper couch. Those things are heavy! Several people tried to help James carry the couch up the stairs to our second story apartment, but he said he didn't need help, hoisted the monstrosity on his back, and walked up the stairs delivering it to the apartment unaided. Now, my husband has gained some wisdom over the past 10 years, but the basic principle remains. If it needs doing, he'll get it there, and he doesn't necessarily recognize the need for assistance.
Because of the aforementioned, and because James seemed unconcerned about the need for man-power for our move, i really hadn't given it much thought. My part was to plan with my aunt to get the truck and to have all the boxes packed and ready to go. James, i was certain, would take care of the rest.
But then came this job, that we both felt he shouldn't pass up. And there i was with a home full of belongings to move and nobody to do the heavy stuff. I might also mention, that when it comes to heavy lifting, i am increasingly more of a wimp by the month. After all, James can do it.
To make things more interesting, i miscalculated my ability to talk during the day, and i ran out of daytime minutes on my cell phone, so i couldn't talk to anyone until after 7.
To make things even more interesting, on Wednesday morning, my best friend, Meredith, went into labor (an event to which i was committed to attend for months previous) and did not deliver until Thursday morning at 11:58.
**The event of the coming the beautiful baby is one i will let Meredith retell on her own blog (once her internet access is restored). So i'm not blowing over it, i'm just trying to stay focused on the move. Keep an on mommymerepete.blogspot.com if you're interested.**
To make things a little bit more interesting, i was also tracking an online offer for free used appliances, which i very much needed, and were offered to me, but that i had until Thursday evening to pick up and move or they would be offered to someone else.
Two big things happened for me during all of this: i saw the hand of God's provision and favor in providing for my needs, and i realized how very much i appreciate my husband and how thankful i am for him.
Through a chain of events that is a little too long to add here, i met a young man from our church, who helped me get the appliances, and he stored them in his garage until Saturday when he would help get them moved to our house.
The same young man was hoping to network some helpers for us, but on Friday evening, he had not gotten any commitments for help, and that's when i panicked a little. I'm not a great networker, but i knew that i had to have help, and i started making phone calls. James brother, Sean, really came through, and he showed up at my apartment at 9 o'clock after working all night in Houston, and he worked all day and helped us move, along with another young man in the church who was able to volunteer at the last minute.
By Saturday afternoon, at 2, our belongings were in our house, and my helpers fed and on their way back home. God is so good and faithful. I just can't get enough of Him.
But Hurricane Ike delivered a blessing we didn't anticipate: FEMA, who is helping to clean up this mess, requires there to be paid monitors of the clean-up activity. James is a great worker, but i'm betting he's even better at watching other people work. He took the job, and has been working ever since. Only trouble is, this job is a "make hay while the sun is shining" sort of gig, and they're working 7 days a week, 14 hours or so per day. This really wouldn't have been a problem if it weren't that we weren't moved yet.
We had planned to move our things to the house on September 25. My aunt and uncle had generously offered to get us a u-haul truck to make this easier, and we accepted. I had an interesting realization during this time. See, my husband is the man who takes care of business in my life. The car breaks down, James can fix it. The cabinet needs fixing, James can do it. Something large needs moving, James can move it.
Here's some background:
When we first got married, and we were moving furniture into our apartment, some kind people in the church had given us some furniture and provided people to help move it in. One of the items of furniture was a 7-foot long sofa sleeper couch. Those things are heavy! Several people tried to help James carry the couch up the stairs to our second story apartment, but he said he didn't need help, hoisted the monstrosity on his back, and walked up the stairs delivering it to the apartment unaided. Now, my husband has gained some wisdom over the past 10 years, but the basic principle remains. If it needs doing, he'll get it there, and he doesn't necessarily recognize the need for assistance.
Because of the aforementioned, and because James seemed unconcerned about the need for man-power for our move, i really hadn't given it much thought. My part was to plan with my aunt to get the truck and to have all the boxes packed and ready to go. James, i was certain, would take care of the rest.
But then came this job, that we both felt he shouldn't pass up. And there i was with a home full of belongings to move and nobody to do the heavy stuff. I might also mention, that when it comes to heavy lifting, i am increasingly more of a wimp by the month. After all, James can do it.
To make things more interesting, i miscalculated my ability to talk during the day, and i ran out of daytime minutes on my cell phone, so i couldn't talk to anyone until after 7.
To make things even more interesting, on Wednesday morning, my best friend, Meredith, went into labor (an event to which i was committed to attend for months previous) and did not deliver until Thursday morning at 11:58.
**The event of the coming the beautiful baby is one i will let Meredith retell on her own blog (once her internet access is restored). So i'm not blowing over it, i'm just trying to stay focused on the move. Keep an on mommymerepete.blogspot.com if you're interested.**
To make things a little bit more interesting, i was also tracking an online offer for free used appliances, which i very much needed, and were offered to me, but that i had until Thursday evening to pick up and move or they would be offered to someone else.
Two big things happened for me during all of this: i saw the hand of God's provision and favor in providing for my needs, and i realized how very much i appreciate my husband and how thankful i am for him.
Through a chain of events that is a little too long to add here, i met a young man from our church, who helped me get the appliances, and he stored them in his garage until Saturday when he would help get them moved to our house.
The same young man was hoping to network some helpers for us, but on Friday evening, he had not gotten any commitments for help, and that's when i panicked a little. I'm not a great networker, but i knew that i had to have help, and i started making phone calls. James brother, Sean, really came through, and he showed up at my apartment at 9 o'clock after working all night in Houston, and he worked all day and helped us move, along with another young man in the church who was able to volunteer at the last minute.
By Saturday afternoon, at 2, our belongings were in our house, and my helpers fed and on their way back home. God is so good and faithful. I just can't get enough of Him.
Comments
Post a Comment
What do you think about that?