What is going on?!

Broken Dictaphone (yes, again) - $200
Leaky Hot Water Heater - $550 (that's an 'estimate,' they're coming in two hours to install a new one)

This stuff. All of this stuff that falls on us and buries us deep. The horrible things that I see happening to other people right now. This is what makes me question God. Not the existence of God, but why it seems that so much bad stuff happens to good, faithful followers of God. I know He is there. I know that He will provide.

I guess it's like that old quote attributed to Mother Teresa.

UPDATE: The guy is going to bill us for the hot water tank, which is good because they had to put in a lot of new pipe and valves so it's going to cost closer to $700 and we will need time to gather that amount of money. I can't wait to tell Brent.

But on the bright side, we can now flush the toilets, do the laundry, and take showers. Woo!

Disney in a Nutshell

Sunday - We arrive at the resort at 9:45 a.m. Our room will not be ready until 4:00 p.m. We put on our suits and spend the day at the pool. I forget sunscreen and end up with second-degree burns on my back.

Monday - Magic Kingdom. Awesome. Short lines, light crowds.

Tuesday - Sarah wakes up with stomach flu. We spend the day in the villa. Sarah is a trooper and the rest of us are pounding the Airborne to try and stay well.

Wednesday - Caleb's birthday breakfast at Chef Mickey. They stick us waaaaay in the back and our waitress completely ignores us. They do nothing for Caleb's birthday even though we remind them twice. Its sucks. MGM in the afternoon. Again, crowds are light, lines are short. MGM is not one of my favorite parks. Rock N Roller Coaster is the big hit of the day. We return to the resort and spend the rest of the afternoon/evening swimming.

Thursday - Caleb wakes up with a sinus infection. I stay at the villa with him while everyone else goes to EPCOT. I love EPCOT, but I love Caleb more.

Friday - Shopping at Downtown Disney in the morning. Swimming until 3:00 and then back to the Magic Kingdom until 9:00.

Saturday - We leave the resort at 8:30, and just before Lake City Florida they shut down I-75 because of the fires. We sit, parked on 75 for an hour and then they detour us two hours out of our way. We pick up 75 again in Valdosta, GA and we're on our way home. We got in around 4:30 a.m. Sunday (not bad for being sent so far out of our way) and crash.

Sunday - We grocery shop to replenish food, unpack, sleep, etc.

Monday - Back to the grind.

The Dog was Only the Beginning

Two new tires for the car - $250
Replace broken fax machine - $180

Add those two things that came up today to the $400 for the dog, and yes ladies and gentleman, we have burned through $830 in two days. Beat that.

Our house payment is due on the 5th. I have no idea if there will be enough money in our savings account to cover it. I'm going on vacation.

And never coming back.

Doggie Surgery Part Deux

Aaaaaand $400 later, the dog is fine. She has a bunch of staples in her neck but they sent her home with pain pills and said in a few days she should be good as new.

Ouch. It is painful to have to pay out that kind of cash right before vacation, but I'm glad it happened before we left because if it had happened while we were gone the dog probably would have died.

I have today and tomorrow to get everything ready for vacation and I haven't even thought about what I'm going to pack. So I finished all of the painting around the house, but it's quite possible that I won't have any clothes to wear. Priorities. I'm good.

The kids are all packed and ready, so that's something right? Luckily Brent took today and tomorrow off so he can help me get things together since I am working both days. Why do I do that to myself? I always think "Oh, of course I can work the day before we leave," and then when that day actually comes I'm all "What was I THINKING?! I have a million things to get done!"

*deep breath*

It will get done. One way or another. It always does.

Doggie Surgery Part One

One of our mini Schnauzers is having surgery this morning. She was acting weird yesterday and then started having what looked like seizures. She was stiff and shaking and drooling like crazy and couldn't stand up. It was in the middle of a bunch of storms and tornadoes in the area (of course) so I wasn't sure whether the change in pressure had triggered something or what. She seemed okay for about 15 minutes after the first episode, but then it started over again.

I called the vet, and even though it was 4:55 and they close at 5:00, they told me to bring her right over. Luckily my dad was here and he took her for me. Sarah was a basket case (Heidi is her dog) and the tornado warning sirens were blaring, so my dad took the dog and Emma went with him. Their office is only five minutes from our house.

The vet checked her over and discovered a fatty tumor in her neck that is partially obstructing her esophagus. So she has food particles that get stuck in there when she eats and she is periodically choking on them. So she is at the vet right now. She will have surgery to remove the tumor this morning, and we can pick her up at 4:00 this afternoon.