Caught!
Am I in trouble?
Nope!
I'll get you sticky!
23 March 2009
22 March 2009
21 March 2009
20 March 2009
19 March 2009
Key saga, surprise ending,
The Trailer and the Manure
Saturday Matt and I borrowed a trailer to get a load of manure for our garden. We finished breakfast and dishes and I called the horse stables to let them know we were on our way. I had Matt's VW key in my hand as I made the call. (We only have one key as the replacement costs $200). I set the key on the counter and went outside to tell Matt she was ready for us. Then I let the kids know it was time to get in the truck.
We finished loading the manure with only one face-to-shovel incident.
Blast! the VW is in the way
We have a 150 ft long, one lane, driveway and the VW was in it. We needed to move the VW so that the trailer of horse manure could get backed into the backyard and get unloaded in the garden. The key, however, was no longer on the counter... hmmm. No problem, we'll simply push the car out of the drive way.
Nope! Can't get the car out of neutral without a key. Do we want to unload it by wheelbarrow or bucket and walk it 150 ft up the stairs to the backyard. Not really, we'd rather find the key and drive the manure back there.
We had cleaned the house top to bottom the night before so there weren't too many places for the key to be unless there had been some foul play.... Hmmmm.
Opportunity for growth
As usual we prayed about it individually and as a family. Next I asked all the children if they had any idea and each of them had a different story of where they had seen the key. We thoroughly searched the house, front yard, backyard, side yard, Matt's pockets, my purse, all the cars and Matt's pockets again. When Titus woke up from his nap that afternoon, he shared with us that he had dropped it in the trailer before we filled it with poo.
At this point we looked at the trailer heaping full of horse manure and lost some of our resolve for finding it. Matt's mom needed her computer fixed and that was the perfect excuse to postpone the search.
We got home Sunday around 5 pm, and after more questioning, Titus was able to pinpoint the location of where he had dropped the key into the manure. It was in the front and at the bottom of the trailer. He said he watched as we covered it up with poo.
That night, Matt and I spent several hours in the dark, in the rain, sitting in poo, hand sifting the area indicated, praying as we worked.
Hard drive crash
Monday Matt took my car to work, and his server hard drives began crashing, so he spent the night running repairs. Tuesday, Matt was still at work wearing the same clothes. (His shirt from Monday was green, thankfully, as Tuesday was St. Patrick's day.)
That same day my uncle, who lives by us, went in for a routine colonoscopy and reacted badly to the anesthesia. They put him in ICU for overnight observation. I called Matt and asked if he could come home early so I could have a car to visit my Uncle and rent a metal detector.
A Hospital Visit
So Tuesday evening I headed to the hospital at 4:45 as visitor hours ended at 5. My uncle was feeling fine when we got there. I brought him a milkshake and ate half of his hospital dinner. After about 20 minutes of chit chat the cardiologist came in, looked at his charts, and said, "Your heart is beating irregularly and is not responding to the medication. You are in grave danger. We need to airlift you to the city immediately."
I think we all looked at him with our jaws dropped. Questions started flying all over the place, while the doctor just calmly smiled. All of a sudden he leaned out the door and yelled to the nurses, "It worked!"
He had just scared my Uncles' heart back into the correct rhythm. Sure enough his heart rate had dropped from 140 to a steady 88 in about 10 seconds. He would be home that night. However, Grama's and my heart rate had just jumped up to about 190. Grama was still shaking when we got out to the car.
Metal Detecting the Poo
So the next morning is Wednesday and Matt and I pull out the metal detector, read the manual and trudge out to the trailer. We realize that the dirt can only be about a foot thick in order to properly metal detect. We sat as a family again to pray. Titus repeated his exact same story with only a few discrepancies.
The plan is to put a tarp on the driveway and spread the manure out for metal detection. Then move it around the VW into the garden using buckets.
So, we unload half the trailer of manure and spread it out on the tarp. Matt begins metal detecting and the detector is beeping constantly. To our chagrin we remember there is rebar in the concrete of the driveway.
Boo.
We thanked God for the trials in our life, and thanked him that this really wasn't that serious. We asked God again to reveal the key.
We begin using buckets to move the manure over to the grass to be metal detected. We put sample keys in a few buckets to see if they get detected and each time the key gets found. About two hours into it, I hide a key in a bucket without Matt knowing it. That key does not get detected. The VW key could have been hiding in any of the buckets that had already been carried to the garden.
Aaargh.
Again we prayed. At this point Matt says, "Forget it, call Geico and have the car towed to the dealer."
The Tow Truck
The towing will be $350 and the key will be $200. Geico says They will only cover $100.
Ouch. We hang up to consider if we can tow it ourselves. We still can't get it out of neutral so we call Geico back and tell them to have the tow truck people come and work their magic.
Geico says the tow truck will be there in 30 minutes.
There is still one ton of manure in the drive way. We kick our shoveling and carrying into high gear. The manure is flying into to the back yard at record speed.
The tow truck arrives in 5 minutes.
When does that ever happen? The tow truck waits patiently while Matt and I drag 200 pounds of manure and tarp off the drive way and move the truck and trailer. We asked Silas why he was working so hard and he said "I just want to be like Dad."
The tow truck backs in and lowers his bed. We are so thankful this process is almost over.
The tow truck driver gets in the VW and starts cursing loudly. Matt and I look at each other and groan. What is the problem now? The driver says, "I can't get your car out of neutral without a key" and he drives away.
hmmm. Ok Lord what is the plan here?
Now what?
We call the VW dealer, our 4th call to them. This time they share with us how we need to come in, in person, with valid Drivers License and tags to order a key. In a few days the key will arrive in the mail. The new electronic key needs to be "married to the car" so it won't start the car but it will allow the car to go into neutral and be towed to the dealer to finish the process. (Why didn't they tell us this little detail in the other three calls?)
DMV problems
Normally, proving your registration is no problem. However, in the Boyd house when you really really need the paper, the timing is just right so that your the new tags haven't arrived yet. After calling the DMV, we learn if we want the tags right away, we have to go into the office. Hmm. Stopping in at the DMV sounds quick and easy, right?
Plus, we get a call saying we had left Matt's drivers liscense at the metal detector store.
So, here is the current plan to get a new key.
First, we retrieve the drivers license. Then, go to the DMV, get the address fixed, get the new tags, go to the dealer with the new tags and drivers license, order a key, wait 3 days, call a tow truck, tow the VW to the dealer, pay $425 to "marry" the key to the car and then drive home.
At this point, it was 3pm. We quit.
We did move the rest of the manure to the backyard and searched the whole thing with a giant magnet just in case. We found about 7 rusty nails but no key.
Josiah then gets the giant magnet stuck on the fireplace insert.
Giant Fight
I take a bath, have a giant fight with Matt, sit on the deck and cry, work it out with him, and then go inside.
"Time to put your pajamas on" I tell the boys, and Matt and I sit in the living room, discouraged, exhausted, and conquered. We just sit. Sadly.
Then Sam shouts at the top of the stairs, "I FOUND DAD'S KEY!" Sure enough, in his hand is a black plastic box with a metal key and the letters VW.
Luke had put it under his mattress and forgotten about it. Sam saw his stolen coin set sticking out and when he lifted it up, beside the stolen booty, was Matt's key.
The family gathered together and thanked God for his provision, for teaching us to work as a team, the never ending lesson to trust him, and the new muscle we gained from moving dirt back and forth.
I slept really hard that night. :)
Saturday Matt and I borrowed a trailer to get a load of manure for our garden. We finished breakfast and dishes and I called the horse stables to let them know we were on our way. I had Matt's VW key in my hand as I made the call. (We only have one key as the replacement costs $200). I set the key on the counter and went outside to tell Matt she was ready for us. Then I let the kids know it was time to get in the truck.
We finished loading the manure with only one face-to-shovel incident.
Blast! the VW is in the way
We have a 150 ft long, one lane, driveway and the VW was in it. We needed to move the VW so that the trailer of horse manure could get backed into the backyard and get unloaded in the garden. The key, however, was no longer on the counter... hmmm. No problem, we'll simply push the car out of the drive way.
Nope! Can't get the car out of neutral without a key. Do we want to unload it by wheelbarrow or bucket and walk it 150 ft up the stairs to the backyard. Not really, we'd rather find the key and drive the manure back there.
We had cleaned the house top to bottom the night before so there weren't too many places for the key to be unless there had been some foul play.... Hmmmm.
Opportunity for growth
As usual we prayed about it individually and as a family. Next I asked all the children if they had any idea and each of them had a different story of where they had seen the key. We thoroughly searched the house, front yard, backyard, side yard, Matt's pockets, my purse, all the cars and Matt's pockets again. When Titus woke up from his nap that afternoon, he shared with us that he had dropped it in the trailer before we filled it with poo.
At this point we looked at the trailer heaping full of horse manure and lost some of our resolve for finding it. Matt's mom needed her computer fixed and that was the perfect excuse to postpone the search.
We got home Sunday around 5 pm, and after more questioning, Titus was able to pinpoint the location of where he had dropped the key into the manure. It was in the front and at the bottom of the trailer. He said he watched as we covered it up with poo.
That night, Matt and I spent several hours in the dark, in the rain, sitting in poo, hand sifting the area indicated, praying as we worked.
Hard drive crash
Monday Matt took my car to work, and his server hard drives began crashing, so he spent the night running repairs. Tuesday, Matt was still at work wearing the same clothes. (His shirt from Monday was green, thankfully, as Tuesday was St. Patrick's day.)
That same day my uncle, who lives by us, went in for a routine colonoscopy and reacted badly to the anesthesia. They put him in ICU for overnight observation. I called Matt and asked if he could come home early so I could have a car to visit my Uncle and rent a metal detector.
A Hospital Visit
So Tuesday evening I headed to the hospital at 4:45 as visitor hours ended at 5. My uncle was feeling fine when we got there. I brought him a milkshake and ate half of his hospital dinner. After about 20 minutes of chit chat the cardiologist came in, looked at his charts, and said, "Your heart is beating irregularly and is not responding to the medication. You are in grave danger. We need to airlift you to the city immediately."
I think we all looked at him with our jaws dropped. Questions started flying all over the place, while the doctor just calmly smiled. All of a sudden he leaned out the door and yelled to the nurses, "It worked!"
He had just scared my Uncles' heart back into the correct rhythm. Sure enough his heart rate had dropped from 140 to a steady 88 in about 10 seconds. He would be home that night. However, Grama's and my heart rate had just jumped up to about 190. Grama was still shaking when we got out to the car.
Metal Detecting the Poo
So the next morning is Wednesday and Matt and I pull out the metal detector, read the manual and trudge out to the trailer. We realize that the dirt can only be about a foot thick in order to properly metal detect. We sat as a family again to pray. Titus repeated his exact same story with only a few discrepancies.
The plan is to put a tarp on the driveway and spread the manure out for metal detection. Then move it around the VW into the garden using buckets.
So, we unload half the trailer of manure and spread it out on the tarp. Matt begins metal detecting and the detector is beeping constantly. To our chagrin we remember there is rebar in the concrete of the driveway.
Boo.
We thanked God for the trials in our life, and thanked him that this really wasn't that serious. We asked God again to reveal the key.
We begin using buckets to move the manure over to the grass to be metal detected. We put sample keys in a few buckets to see if they get detected and each time the key gets found. About two hours into it, I hide a key in a bucket without Matt knowing it. That key does not get detected. The VW key could have been hiding in any of the buckets that had already been carried to the garden.
Aaargh.
Again we prayed. At this point Matt says, "Forget it, call Geico and have the car towed to the dealer."
The Tow Truck
The towing will be $350 and the key will be $200. Geico says They will only cover $100.
Ouch. We hang up to consider if we can tow it ourselves. We still can't get it out of neutral so we call Geico back and tell them to have the tow truck people come and work their magic.
Geico says the tow truck will be there in 30 minutes.
There is still one ton of manure in the drive way. We kick our shoveling and carrying into high gear. The manure is flying into to the back yard at record speed.
The tow truck arrives in 5 minutes.
When does that ever happen? The tow truck waits patiently while Matt and I drag 200 pounds of manure and tarp off the drive way and move the truck and trailer. We asked Silas why he was working so hard and he said "I just want to be like Dad."
The tow truck backs in and lowers his bed. We are so thankful this process is almost over.
The tow truck driver gets in the VW and starts cursing loudly. Matt and I look at each other and groan. What is the problem now? The driver says, "I can't get your car out of neutral without a key" and he drives away.
hmmm. Ok Lord what is the plan here?
Now what?
We call the VW dealer, our 4th call to them. This time they share with us how we need to come in, in person, with valid Drivers License and tags to order a key. In a few days the key will arrive in the mail. The new electronic key needs to be "married to the car" so it won't start the car but it will allow the car to go into neutral and be towed to the dealer to finish the process. (Why didn't they tell us this little detail in the other three calls?)
DMV problems
Normally, proving your registration is no problem. However, in the Boyd house when you really really need the paper, the timing is just right so that your the new tags haven't arrived yet. After calling the DMV, we learn if we want the tags right away, we have to go into the office. Hmm. Stopping in at the DMV sounds quick and easy, right?
Plus, we get a call saying we had left Matt's drivers liscense at the metal detector store.
So, here is the current plan to get a new key.
First, we retrieve the drivers license. Then, go to the DMV, get the address fixed, get the new tags, go to the dealer with the new tags and drivers license, order a key, wait 3 days, call a tow truck, tow the VW to the dealer, pay $425 to "marry" the key to the car and then drive home.
At this point, it was 3pm. We quit.
We did move the rest of the manure to the backyard and searched the whole thing with a giant magnet just in case. We found about 7 rusty nails but no key.
Josiah then gets the giant magnet stuck on the fireplace insert.
Giant Fight
I take a bath, have a giant fight with Matt, sit on the deck and cry, work it out with him, and then go inside.
"Time to put your pajamas on" I tell the boys, and Matt and I sit in the living room, discouraged, exhausted, and conquered. We just sit. Sadly.
Then Sam shouts at the top of the stairs, "I FOUND DAD'S KEY!" Sure enough, in his hand is a black plastic box with a metal key and the letters VW.
Luke had put it under his mattress and forgotten about it. Sam saw his stolen coin set sticking out and when he lifted it up, beside the stolen booty, was Matt's key.
The family gathered together and thanked God for his provision, for teaching us to work as a team, the never ending lesson to trust him, and the new muscle we gained from moving dirt back and forth.
I slept really hard that night. :)
17 March 2009
16 March 2009
14 March 2009
13 March 2009
12 March 2009
Cat in the Hat!
I know you all want to see pictures of the kids, but this is a part of their lives too.
10 March 2009
09 March 2009
08 March 2009
05 March 2009
04 March 2009
Fun with Friends - 13 kids, 2 adults.
For those who missed the previous post, I'm pregnant. In other news, I passed a glorious kidney stone about an hour ago. I did take pictures of it.
Dinner
Curious George
Dinner
Curious George
02 March 2009
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