OK!!  This is a whopper!!

I had told you that we had moved to a nice house in July of 2004.  And a nice family home it is.  I actually love the location.  We are 3 houses down from a park that has a kiddie pool.  It's wonderful for our only child to be able to have instantaneous playmates.  All we have to do is walk down there on any given day and voila!  It's especially helpful when we are very tired and only have about 2 hours before bed and she needs some other stimulations.  Walking down to the park is so convenient, saves on gas and keeps our energy level low for we don't have to drive.  The added bonus is .. mommie (that's me ) can be at the park with her while daddy needs to get some things done at the house ... remember mommie doesn't have a car.

Well, its a nice house, but its the worse house I could possibly live in!!  The post polio group have a saying "preserve to conserve" meaning the muscles you currently have needs to be preserved so that you will have usage later in life.  People think "why don't you just work out" you can get stronger.  Well that's another topic for another day.

This house is just an accessible nightmare.  The carpet is so thick I can't go across it.  The kitchen is impossible for me to cook in it.  I can't get in and out of my own house to walk 3 doors down to the park with my own child.  I can't use my basement or upstairs.  The worst of it all is the bathroom.  I can not be an independent woman doing woman things that women do in the bathroom.  At least not without my husband!  Heck I can't even do NON women things in the bathroom!!

Let's not even start with cleaning or laundry or storing things or putting this away or getting that dish I only use 4 times a year or ....

Can you imagine?  Well in order for us to survive in this house my husband has to literally do EVERYTHING.  I can cook somewhat to a point but NOT without his help.  I can give my daughter a bath, but not without his help.  What is the point a lot of times if he has to be the only one to do it all?

So What's the Whopper?

Well, we've had contractors in here pricing what it would take to tear down our exhisting bathroom and build a more sensible one.  Well, I believe $25k is just far too much for JUST a bathroom.  That is NOT a marble bathroom!!  As you could imagine, my husband can't be away from the house too far for too long without some minor, which turns to major, complications!!

Within the last month, we've stumbled upon a home that is completely 100% handicap accessible.  A lady who had polio had passed.  Her husband had built her a home that was so accessible she could get to the basement and the attic.  It's a one of a kind home.  It's a beautiful home.  They've taken such great strides with it.  This home has everything.  Crazy as it sounds, we walked through the home.

Have you seen Extreme Home Makeover?  See how those people cry when they walk through their house?  I often thought.  That wouldn't be me, my story isn't tragic enough that I wouldn't cry.  Well, I experienced what they experienced.  I walked through that house.  When I came out, I was overtaken by emotions.  Most of you live in your homes, apartment, condo whatever have you with greatest of ease.  You can get to every room.  You can reach every cranny.  I can get the silverware out of the drawer, if I'm not stuck in the shower waiting for my husband to have a moment to get me out of it, or stuck in bed waiting for my wheels to arrive.  That's about the extent of what I consider true freedom.

So riddle me this .. how does someone who is laid off from a job, trying to sell their car because the payments are too high, works at home full time and is VERY dependent on whether or not the phone rings for their .22 cents.  How do they entertain the thought of selling their current house and move into one that is more expensive in a nicer neighborhood?

Prayer.  That's all I can say

God has worked miracles.  I don't know if He is going to choose to work this one.  Either I want to make it on Extreme Home Makeover, or I want to get in this house.  Truth be told, I don't want to move away from this park.  I know my daughter doesn't either nor husband for that fact, but how much longer can he carry me on icy steps and sidewalks?  How much longer can he lift me and twist his body to unthinkable positions to get and out of the shower?

The more he has to do for me, the less money he is able to make.  With every decision of whether he takes a job, we need to see if he can be away for that long.

My husband's life long aspiration is to be a full time sports broadcaster, he can't even get flown to California on an interview because he can't leave me alone for more than 4 hours at a time.  A few weeks back, the announcers of a local gig he has asked him to hang out with them.  He couldn't even do that because he'd already been gone long enough.  He had to worry about his wife at home who can't sit on the john when it is time.

THE ANSWER

I DON'T know what the answer is.

I'm asking you to pray if you will.

I'm asking if you will to forward our story to others and ask them to pray.

My dream is that money from some rich uncle (it would have to be someone's not mine because I don't have relatives ... read my story and you'll know what I mean) would just shower 200k.  Just enough to get the house and buy me a van .. well short of that.

I believe in the God that loves us enough to die His life for me and for you.  God has been wonderful.  He doesn't always give us what we think we need, but He won't leave us stranded and forsaken.  More importantly, Jesus loves my daughter and husband so much more than I am capable of.  He won't do anything to hurt them.  All he does will just prosper them.  That doesn't always come in the sense of finances either.

Passage Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I lived this verse those years I was a lone with no family.  This was our wedding verse. I can live it now.

God is so good

God is so good

He's so good to you and me

Wow what a story!!

God DOES provide miracles!

I've asked my friends and family to pray for a miracle and He provided!!

Angels were sent to us.  We sat down with the family and told them everything about our finances and where we stand with life right now.  They didn't even bat an eye.  They offered the house to us at a payment that we can afford not at a payment that they wanted for the house.

We couldn't believe our eyes.  Nor ears for that matter!!

This house is just so incredibly beautiful!!  It has an elevator, has 3 access to the house all of which I could enter in myself.  I can cook in the kitchen.  It has a gorgeous gazebo which I can actually enter!!

shhhhhhhh ... don't look now!! BUT I can use the bathroom!! .. HUGH!! imagine that!!  Funny being all excited about being able to use the bathroom!!

Its freedom and I just can't wait to live freely!!

These people are just wonderful!!  Just so wonderful!!