Whats up with men?

I have been working so much lately. Not that it is anywhere near the amount that Donnie works, but it is still a ton for me with still having to do the rest of the things I have to do. So yesterday, even though my house looked worse than a tornado had gone through there (tornadoes don't dirty your dishes), I decided that I was not going to do anything on my day off. And I didn't, include getting dressed. Until Donnie called me at 4:30 and told me that his men's group was at our house at 7. I knew it would take a super hero to get my house clean in time! But we worked so hard, and it was a lot of work, but we got the main rooms that they would be in clean, and I though they looked pretty nice. I even ran a mop over the bad spots, sprayed pretty smelling stuff around, took all sorts of computer part boxes and stuff out of the room. I could not get the kitchen decent because I was missing two kids and it took us so long just to do the rest of the rooms. But they don't go in there anyway.
Afterwards I asked Donnie how it was and he said "It was alright." He doesn't get why that made me mad, he said it was "alright." I'm sorry, I worked my butt off on my only day off because you couldn't tell me two weeks ago that it was here, and its only "alright?" How about "Man, you worked hard! I know how bad it was, thanks so much!" Nope, I should have done a better job on the desks and not let our bedroom door be open the 1 inch it was and so on. Am I mad? You bet! Kaytlin totally agreed with me, and Devon even said he agreed, and he hadn't been home to help us. If he were smart, which obviously he isn't when it comes to women, but if he were, he'd bring home chocolate tonight.

Our praise is that we had a friend look at the furnace tonight and it will probably not cost even $50 to get it fixed, if the transformer is the only problem. We expect it to be the only problem, because that makes sense for it to be that part because it died after the power company cut our power off and turned it back on. ("accidentally" of course!) Think they'll pay for it? I don't think so either. But I am thrilled that it isn't going to be a huge expense for us!

Strangely enough, we got a last minute foreign exchange student coming to stay with us. I'm debating on whether we should have him stay the full 3 weeks, or let him stay with a teacher for one week and with us for 2. He flies in on Saturday! The plan is for us to get him after a week, that will give us time to get rooms ready, we need to put a second bed in Drew's room. He's from Germany and Devon is so excited. He loves taking German, and we thought it would be way too difficult for him.

First day of school!

I woke up at 7am to get the kiddos moving. Someone was in the shower already, so I headed upstairs to start waking the rest of them. I see Kaytlin's bed is empty, I wake up Hope-Anne, and then Devon's bed is empty. Hmm, where is he? Drew can get his own butt out of bed, he's almost an adult, 10 days away from it. And Cody is not starting school yet.
Kaytlin gets out of the shower, so where is Devon? She said she saw him get out of the shower and head upstairs. That means the little rascal has already left for school and didn't tell us. Nor did he get lunch money or his new lunch number! Too bad!
OK, I'm not that mean. I sent his new lunch number with Kaytlin to hand to him in the hall, and sent Drew with the check for all of their lunch accounts.
I had to get Kaytlin out of school early to go to the doctor. She is running some tests and did an exam. Kaytlin does not want me even talking to my close friends, so the blogging is off limits with what her symptoms are. It appears to be the minor end of the spectrum, but they are running some e-coli tests and other bacterial tests, though we expect to find nothing. Which would be good. Her symptoms seemed to have resolved themselves today, so if she get through the week symptom free we won't have to do any invasive tests! Thank you to everyone who prayed for her, I really appreciate it.
In other prayer related news: Devon and Cody are both in football and it gets really expensive! They boys both need cleats and I just can't see where I can splurge on those. Cody's coach gave him a pair, I don't know how that came about, because in his league they don't have to have them, but he had a spare, maybe his son is a size bigger. But praise God! So I prayed and asked God to help me out with Devon's cleats, I need them to be free, but cheap would be nice. So today I had to go get cleats because his game is on Thursday and tomorrow I can't go get them, he goes straight from practice to youth group. So I came home from the store and told Devon to grab some shoes, lets go get some cleats. "I already have cleats." "Huh?" "Coach P gave me some." "what??" "He asked me if I had cleats, I said no and he said there is a box of old ones in the basement of the school and to go get some."
That's when the crickets started chirping. God has been answering me lickety split on things lately and it is just amazing!
Donnie's car is pretty much out of commission right now, and we'll have to get it repaired, AND we went from $23 a month water bill to $273 a month water bill, so we're going to be hurting! And I just asked God to provide that car repair. The power/water bill is covered with some overtime Donnie forgot to turn in, but there is no room for the car in there. Well, Donnie's mom offered to lend us the money! Its like a savings plan for her. They are getting a bit of money, and she would just spend it quickly, but this way we'll give her some here and there and they will have money coming in when they need it!
We have a Mom's of preschoolers type of group in our church that we are seeking nursery care for, and we've been searching and praying for workers. I've been desperately seeking someone, several someones, to help me with women's ministry. And today God filled someone in both spots! We are halfway through our childcare dilemma, and I am 1/4 of the way through my women's ministry council!
Now, everyone pray with me: Lord, you know we can't afford to fix our furnace and You know that we need it desperately in Minnesota winters with children. I ask for Your provision to get the furnace running. Help us to find a reset switch, or a small problem or provide the money for a repair. In Jesus name I pray.

God is working!

And I have EXCITING news coming up this month! Oh my goodness, I am about to burst with excitement, but I have to wait on the details. I will say it may have something to do with some give-aways.

And we're back in business!

My husband, who HATES computers, finally, finally, finally fixed my computer! I'm not in safe mode anymore! I have sound now! My computer runs faster without all the old games and junk we didn't use anymore!
Happy, happy, joy, joy!
I don't know why Donnie hates computers, he's really pretty good with them, he manages to provide for all of us. He doesn't make a ginormous salary, but we live in a nice, big, old house. And we have finally paid off all of our vehicles this month! We are making it, even when things get tight, he's a great provider. I can't imagine going to work every day, but to go to work every day to a job you just hate because it provides all your family needs. We could live in a smaller house where the kids have to share bedrooms, get down to at least two vehicles, never eat out or go play and he could have a job that he at least likes a bit. But he makes sure we are given more than we need and I'm so thankful.
Ok, not the point of my post!
Another awesome amazing thing happened! My dryer just up and decided to work! It hasn't been working for a couple of months. It would "work" but shut off after 3-4 minutes with LOUD screeching noises. I wanted a shirt dried on Sunday morning, and it was a tiny, thin shirt for Trinity, so I thought "maybe" it would stay on long enough to dry it if I ran it a couple of times.... well it just kept going and going and going! Now its working! (Ok, its "working" but its not working, it runs without stopping, but its not actually drying, lol, babysteps!)
And then.........
I've been looking for a job, sort of, for a little while now. I've applied but not gotten even a call back. I'm not even reaching high here, we're talking Dairy Queen, lol. I've gotten applications for the nursing homes right on the next block over, but I didn't really have the heart to fill them out. I just don't want to leave my kids at home, plus I'd need to pay the kids for watching the little ones, or have daycare during the day and be home with them in the evenings. It just didn't feel good to me. So I've been praying for God to provide the right job for me. And out of the blue I ended up talking to a friend and offered to baby sit for her, which works out well for both of us because she needs someone to come to her house in the morning so she can leave at 6:15am without waking her little kids up, and I don't have to wake mine up to go there because my husband is home until 9am, and Cody is going to school at home, so I'll have sitters until I get her boys dressed and fed and over to my house! It works out so well, and its only two days a week, two VERY long days, but it won't interfere with my husband's day off! It's enough extra for me to feel good about it, and no daycare costs for me, so its just perfect!
God is so good! My friend is just so excited because I was an answer to prayer for her, as well, she said she's even been dreaming about me babysitting!
So, sometime around the end of August I'll be working, but still at home!