My Husband is Amazing

The ice storm put a thick layer of ice on the cars and walks. It is dry in the drive under the cars. Now I wish we had hidden the car in the garage so that Bob did not have to spend fifteen minutes chipping ice off the windshield.

Bob works for the power company. He always has to go in. He is also on the storm watch team, so he has to go. Sometimes he serves 12 hour shifts, depending on the storms. He goes in no matter what.

All the school districts wisely closed on this one. There is no traffic on our street. Can't wait until 7:30 am when the sun comes up to see what it looks like. I can't quite see the shrubs in the back yard, and they usually hang low with ice. We had a small ice event a couple of weeks ago, or was it one month ago? And it was so tempting to trim the back wild bushes because the branches were bent low enough for me to reach.


Poor James is wanting to go eat lunch with his girlfriend, but I don't think this ice will melt until afternoon. And hopefully, it will be all gone by evening so that there is no refreezing tonight. And hopefully, he can safely travel back to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and hunt for an apartment. I called one place just to see if one bedroom apartments are available. He will need $350 for one month's rent plus $250 deposit and a $20 filing fee, and then there is the utilities change over. The manager said they would work with James, as they understand he needs to report Tuesday and start in-processing. Hopefully, if he finds a place, he can rent a U-haul and get moved in this weekend. Each school or training and post has been different. This is the one we have been saving furniture for since May and before. This is it. I have been squirreling away good boxes and stuff for setting up for years. After Ben moved out two years ago, we had space in the little house in the back yard. Andy and Lauren donated an old microwave. I have plates, cups, flatware, towels, etc., all set aside. And we have lived in crowded conditions furniture-wise, because I knew James would want to take his desk, bed, dresser, book shelves, and beside table. And maybe the Cargo "loveseat" couch. But, he won't know what he is missing or needing until he unpacks it all. Trash cans, for example. Spices, condements...restocking a frig and freezer---all these add up to make moving very expensive. And no telling how long he will be there. A year, two? Our little house will always be available if he gets deployed and needs to store stuff instead of paying rent somewhere or a storage facility.

6:49am Bob called from the train station. He is one of just a few cars. He said that he traveled at 20 miles per hour at the most, and kept lots of space between him and the two others on the road. He said he would call when he made it downtown Dallas, but wanted to encourage James to stay home today.

Soon. Very soon, we will be lighter of furniture, and we can turn the back bedroom into a real, live guest bedroom that James can use on the weekends. And we can turn the tiny bedroom where the guest bed is now into our sitting room. Hopefully, we will move our living room stuff into there temporarily to repaint the living room when we have the time and energy. No more stubbing our toes. Ha. And space for the grandchild to play if/when they visit. Ah, space. And the closet for toys. I have kept the Brio train set, and the Chevron cars (two of everything because James and Ben were like twins, only one year apart) and hundreds of matchbox cars. We can store them in the new sitting room closet, and make room on the shelves for more albums.

Well, I bet that sonogram gets rescheduled today. Oh, well. Maybe next week.

OOOooo---I can see the outline of the back bushes. They are not weighed down. This ice storm is different!!! Maybe there will not be as many power outages. Whew. Thank You, Lord!

As I said, my husband is amazing. Never sick. Never missing work. Faithful. And he has always had a great sense of humor. We watched a few more sermons from Mars Hill Church online last night, and the pastor is dealing with such new believers that he cannot assume anything. There is so much I take for granted. We live such a peaceful life. Thank You, Lord! In the series on Song of Solomon, the pastor was discussing the so many practical things in getting along. And the tendency of selfishness in our culture. Go to Mars Hill Church dot org. Such encouraging messages. God's Way is just so sane, and peaceful, and kind and loving. No yelling. No highs and lows. Serving. Thoughtfulness. And he describes what repentance looks like. Repentance is such a churchy word that we take for granted, but need to stop every once in a while and define.


5pm Clear skies all day. At 9:30am the back yard south facing roof started dripping. By noon, the front yard, north face started dripping. Ice still lurks in the shade. I slipped trying to put garbage in the side yard garbage can. And I set up the fan on the front step. If I can keep it dry until sunset...