Thankful

You could say that the last couple of days have not exactly brought things to be thankful for. There were the freezing temps, frozen pipes, and a lingering sickness that has progressed to chest pain. But there really is plenty to be thankful for.

When I mentioned, on Facebook, that we had no water due to frozen pipes, we had many offers to come take showers. Then a friend put me in contact with her sister and brother-in-law. They texted me to make sure we were okay AND had their plumber call me directly at 9pm at night. Thankfully by that time, Daniel had managed to thaw the pipe that was frozen in our slab basement floor.

When the water came on, Jack came running into the living room and told me something was wrong with the water because it was pouring out brown into the bathtub. We flushed every faucet and have clean, running water again. Daniel had a lot of clean up to do in the mechanical room, and the sinks and tubs all need to be cleaned, but we have water and no pipes busted in the process!

I am thankful for that clean, running water and for friends and strangers who had suggestions and were willing to lend a hand or open their homes to us. I'm also thankful that Daniel was able to come home early and get the problem fixed – even if it meant staying up late.

I have had a head cold for the last 7 days and it progressed to severe chest pain yesterday. I called the on-call doctor late last night and they told me to go to a walk-in clinic to make sure I didn't have pneumonia. Thankfully, it appears that I just pulled muscle in my chest and back from coughing too hard. The doctor (cheekily) told me to stop coughing and the chest pain would stop. I am now on antibiotics and a heating pad and Tylenol for the pain. The pain is "yell out loud" intense when I cough, but thankfully it's not pneumonia.

Yesterday in the midst of not having water, and feeling progressively worse, Jack took the opportunity to dance and sing a made up song. He danced in the sunlight by the back door for a good 10 minutes. I love to see the joy my child finds in little things. He had no idea that we didn't have water or that mommy didn't feel well. He just wanted to dance in the sunshine, and for that I am thankful.

I am thankful that Daniel was able to take the day off work to take me to the doctor and to spend time with Jack while I try to get better. He is back on mandatory 6 day work weeks (starting this week), but was able to make me a priority. It will be hard for all of us in the coming weeks when he has to work long hours, but for today, I'm thankful that he is home and that Jack didn't have to be cooped up, sitting on the couch with his sick mama.

I am trying hard to focus on peace this year and to find the things to be thankful about, even during the days that feel hard.

Word for the Year: Peace

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A look back at 2014... with all the ups and downs we still found moments of joy. #2014 #flipagramrecap

A post shared by Cheree Moore (@mo_haus) on Jan 1, 2015 at 7:36am PST

 At this time last year, I wrote about the desire to choose joy in my life. To delight in what is in front of me regardless of the situation. It was a hard year to be focused on joy. But looking back, I do think that there were moments of sweetness mixed in with the hard. To be honest, its hard not to embrace some amount of joy when you are seeing the world, fresh through a toddler's eyes. 

So even in the times I was experiencing doubt, sadness or anxiety, my little family made it possible to find moments of joy in my life.

As I look to 2015, I'm not sure what to expect. In a few short months I will have a newborn in my arms again. I am keenly aware of the sleepless nights to come. I am unsure of what it will look like to balance the needs of a newborn with those of a thriving toddler. Not to mention my marriage or my personal needs. I am excited about this year, but that excitement is tempered with a degree of trepidation.

With that in mind, I think peace is a word that I want to keep in mind for 2015. It's not an earth shattering word or a new concept, but freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession; and tranquillity; serenity are things that I desperately need when life gets chaotic. On those days that Daniel has to work long hours, or I feel like I am being pulled in a million directions, I hope that I can have the the fortitude to be free of distraction and anxiety or obsession and to adapt and be deliberate in the phase of life I am in, finding joy in all things.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

 

Words from previous years:
Fortitude {2010} ~ Adaptation {2011} ~ Patience {2012}

Deliberate {2013} ~ Joy {2014}

Peace

As of this past Wednesday our house has been on the market for four weeks. Wednesday was also the day that we received our first offer. It was for $150 {in cash} and they wanted to close in two weeks...

This had us reeling. First of all, it was ridiculously low {current asking price is $180, we started at $185 and comparables support these numbers}. Second, to add to all of the stress of our current lives, two weeks would be doable, but insanely stressful.

So we did what all home-owners would do, we countered. On Thursday, our realtor pulled comps and wrote them a very nice counter offer that said we would only accept reasonable/real offers. But we would be willing to drop to $173.

It was a very stressful week as I had 5 showings in three days and we were trying to make decisions about this {only} offer. Their realtor wrote back and said they didn't want to budge and they would keep looking.

The strange thing is, for the first time in weeks, I was at peace. It wasn't the right scenario for us. We have been under so much pressure to sell, but when they didn't even try to negotiate further, we knew it wasn't for us. Sad, but we will keep on keeping on.

There were no 11th hour offers last night. I have no idea if the real estate market is going to depress again now that the tax incentive is gone. I hope not. We will leave that in God's hands. 

I found this verse yesterday and it really spoke to me:

"You will surely forget your trouble, 
 recalling it only as waters gone by."

Job 11:16

There is such truth in this verse. Life can feel so overwhelming at times, but after we pass through the hard times, we forget how difficult those times were... we recall them as waters gone by.