We are REALLY loved!!!

I have never been a high-energy person. But I have been feeling especially tired and run-down for the past several months. Tired to the point of being unable to concentrate or remember things. I assumed this was due to the increased responsibilities of having 3 children, a busy church calling, and a husband in graduate school. In April, David and I both felt strongly prompted to speed up our plans to put our house on the market. We had been planning to do it sometime in the next year, but felt that we needed to put it up for sale within a couple weeks. So, despite struggling with lingering cold symptoms and upset stomach, I worked late nights with David to clean and stage the house for selling. Thanks to Aunt Mel, Mom, and other family members who volunteered to help clean house and watch our kids so we could accomplish this. You saved our lives, literally.
We received an offer within a couple weeks, which surprised us, especially in this market. When we got the results of our home inspection we discovered that the furnace needs to be replaced, due to a carbon monoxide leak. The CO in our home rose to dangerous levels when the furnace was running. It appears that the leak had been gradually getting worse. This explains why I have felt so awful since last fall. It also explains why we were all throwing up at the beginning and end of May, during the cold spells. We have had carbon monoxide poisoning. Fortunately, David, who has spent less time at home, has escaped relatively unaffected. It is sobering to think what might have happened, had we not spent half of our time this unseasonably cold spring either out-of-town or driving around house hunting. Had we not decided to move this year, what would have happened when we turned on the furnace next fall?
The moral of the story is, follow your inspiration. (And install a CO detector.)
I know that the Lord has guided our steps and protected us from this hidden danger. I am so grateful that we didn't all end up seriously ill, or worse. We are so blessed.

We are loved

Almost every day, I take a list of addresses, throw the kids in the car, and drive around looking for appealing houses that are for sale. Today, we packed a picnic to eat at a park somewhere in the midst of our house hunt. The kids were whining for food, so I drove up to a park in Mapleton. As I was parking, I felt that we should NOT get out of the van. So I turned around and started driving home, much to the kids' disappointment. On the way home, Christian's diaper exploded, and Clara pooped her pants. As soon as we were home, Nathan and Clara both had bad attacks of "the runs," requiring substantial clean-up. Boy am I glad this did not all happen at the park! Someone was watching out for us.
The Lord is always leaving little "love notes" around for us to find. Today I found one as I was scrubbing the bathroom floor, grateful that I was not in a filthy park restroom wondering what to do.