What a WEEK!!!!!

Some weeks are predictable. Other weeks are NOT. 

My week began with a summons to the courthouse for jury duty. This was predictable.  I was selected to be interviewed. I couldn't pay attention because this was the very week we were in court last year for the sentencing of our son's murderer. I was having a hard time paying attention as my mind wandered back a year. I was honest and realized my bias against the public defender. As the questioning went on and I answered honestly several jurors teared up, several court officials had tears, and I figured I would be dismissed. It was iced when I was asked why I was biased against the public defender. What a question! 

"Well, it was my experience the only person in the process who was allowed to say things without proof or correction was the public defender." In the aforementioned trial things were said about our son with no proof, in direct contrast to evidence and it was ok as the defender is allowed to "provide a defense."  They let me go late in the afternoon. I do have to call every night for the next two weeks to see if my services are needed.  

I raced to the post office and the grocery store. As I pulled into the parking space things lit up in the van. I was GLAD I was pulling into a spot. Michael can't bail me out - he's home recovering. I turned the car off, bought groceries and tried to go home. 

click...click...click

Cory and Allie rescued me. Allie brought the code reader and took groceries home. Cory read the codes and learned I needed to buy a new battery. He drove me to Napa and we got the new battery installed. I was off and running. 

Tuesday, I ran errands and tended to Michael. He began to have new pain. 

Wednesday, I took Melia to volleyball practice and as we came home all those lights popped up again. I was still able to control the vehicle. I was so close to be home and didn't want to be stranded again. More lights blinked on. The screen that usually tells my gas mileage and usage popped on "Brake system failure, call dealer" and then "VSC failure call dealer immediately."   By the time I got home the gas pedal was the only thinking working on the van.  

This wouldn't normally be a problem, but the truck's brakes need repaired. Michael bought the parts to do the job and then was told not to twist, lift etc....he didn't get to it before surgery.  This means I have no working vehicle. The mechanic cannot get to the van until Monday.  

Wednesday afternoon Cory came over and moved all the RV batteries to the RV as they are too heavy for Michael to be moving just now. 

We stayed home Thursday...rested, took care of Michael. 

 Melia had an optometry appointment, and we added a visit to her baby sister Amika. Allie volunteered the use of her car.  Just as we turned onto the final road to the Bentah Nuutah clinic, I heard a loud grinding noise, and the car began to violently shake.  There has been talk of struts needing to be repaired. I thought maybe a strut had fallen out....don't.judge.me.  (but you can laugh).  I checked under the car, around the car and couldn't figure out the problem. I alerted Allie and Michael at home and went into Melia's appointment. Melia sported cool shades for a couple of hours. We ordered a pair of glasses for Melia. We discovered braces and glasses aren't paid for by the clinic. That's o.k. The care has been such a blessing to us. 

As we crossed the parking lot, I was able to see the problem. Allie's tire had exploded and it was flat! I was game to change the tire, but the tools and jack weren't in the car. We cancelled our visit to Amika. 

Nolan picked up Allie and the tools and came to our rescue!

Are you counting? This is the third vehicle break down in ONE WEEK that *I* was in....when we got home, I was surprised to see this! What an amazingly welcome sight! Dillon and Kylee are the new leads for the Palmer campus of ACF, our church. They had repeatedly asked us to let them know if we needed help and had offered to bring groceries, pick things up for us, and all sorts of things. We kept saying we were fine, we are pretty self-sufficient with all the kids around. ::grin:: 

Finally, on Thursday night, with both our vehicles down when Dillon asked if there was anything he could do I asked if he could change the brakes on a truck. He showed up! While Dillon worked, we visited with Kylee. 

CoRielle dropped the grands off for their 2 hours with Bachan and Melia. When they came back, they mowed our yard. 

The girls went off with Jared to the Bear Paw Festival. 

We started the fire and prepped for s'mores. It was a small group this week, but the fellowship was meaningful. It has been nice to meet this summer in smaller groups around the fire with no pre-planned discussion. This week Rebekah, Aran and John came...oh and Runa! Isn't she a doll? 

She is John's riding partner. 

We had no clue Aran was a fire chef! I mean he can COOK in that fire. We also have a fire chief in our group....but anyway Aran prepared corn, Brauts, and apples and we didn't even open the s'more kit. LOL  The girls got back from the festival and Melia was able to check in with all of us.  It was a nice ended to a very hectic week!

In the midst of an unpredictable week, we were blessed by kids, Dillon and Kylee and our life group members. They showed up. They.showed.up. and healing is growing in community.