What an experience to be able to feel God taking care of you through trials. Yes, we are all going to have trials and tribulations, but that isn't what God is neccessarily doing. The devil does a lot more than most give credit for.
So in the next few month, like 3 or so, we got confirmation, after an appeal, that Matt was going to start recieving disability benefits! (#17) Praise God! By this point in time, he had not been working for about a year, I believe. It is such a long process to apply, and wait, then appeal, and wait again, for disability. I hear that is how it is for most people that need it the most. Sad, but true. All that time though, that we had nothing to hardly work with, and God took care of all our needs, and no emergencies came up to have to d)eal with, and we were protected the WHOLE time. Looking back, we feel as if God was testing our Faith in Him. That was all we could do.
Around this time, and for a couple years following, we would wonder if we would be able to do anything for Christmas for the kids. Not that that is what Christmas is all about, but as a parent, we really wanted to do something. We were not able to, and had many instances near this time (sorry, cannot remember all the years, but I believe about 4 years that this had happened) that we had secret santas adopt our family. AMAZING! (#18-21)
I started taking some classes through the community college near us. I took some classes in person, and then some online. I took it easy a couple years, then a couple years I took a lot of credits. (#22) On my back to trying to become an RN! I was so excited!
In a couple of years we found out that there was going to be another blessing. So in December of 2011, we welcomed another little girl. She has been our blessing and has taught all in the family different things. (#23)
I now have my CNA/CMA (Medication Aide) in Kansas, and trying to get a job. It took a little bit to figure out where I wanted to go, but while trying to figure things out, I had a friend come up to me and ask me (a couple times actually) if I would like a job at the nursing home that she was working at. (#24) I went in and did the formality of of filling out the papers and application that I needed to , and found my way working again. My baby is only 9 months old, I homeschool (#25) which ended up being a neccessity for safety for my kids, and a husband to take care of, taking college classes, and now am working on top of it! Am I crazy?! No I was just trying to take care of my family the best that I can.
Because of my working, we were able to take takes that next year, and take a family vacation (only big one we have ever had, or probably ever will) and took my parents with us, and went to Florida! (#26) We visited Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Sea World, Hollywood Studios, Epcot center, and Cocoa Beach while there. All before the summer season hit so we were able to get right on the rides, and not have to wait much, if any. It was AWESOME! We all had a blast and loved the time that we were able to spend together like that.
The next year was pretty eventless. However, come fall, I fell very sick. I was getting sick and/or running to the bathroom, in the end, every 15-20 minutes, for 6 weeks. Major weight loss program! lol No, wouldn't wish it on anyone. It started out 1-2 days feeling or being sick in a month, then each time the gap closed tighter and tighter. It started in August. I told myself that if it continued I would quit working. Taking the possibility of it being God telling me that I didn't have to work any longer. Work was becoming more stressful. I won't go into details here, as the management/upper people/ to work for were/are great people. I miss the residents and some of my co-workers deeply. But as of December 2013, I was no longer working. (#27 in disguise)I had to have multiple tests done to see what was wrong. Nothing ever came up. But I was told to go gluten and dairy free. So I did. Lost more weight (#28) and ended up finding other foods that bother me. So could hardly eat anything now. So I went a good year and 9 months before I ate any real substantial food. I was so hungry all the time!
By fall of 2014, finances were so bad. So many bills, no insurance, and we were losing everything. Tried working with companies, but they just didn't want to budge, on some, and others were doing everything they could to help us. Finally we had to apply for a deed in lieu on our home. I already lost my nice car. Loved that car. Now we were going to be homeless. Not knowing what else to do, we turned to God and constantly were praying and asking for guidance.
Now from the time we moved to Kansas (within 6 months) we knew we wanted to move back to Michigan. Matt claims within the first couple weeks. :) So we were always looking at homes and possibilities for this to happen. Just wasn't working out right. It wasn't God's timing for us.
This was a year though, that a lot of health issues were popping up for my grandparents. My maternal grandfather was getting really bad. My parents came to our place for Christmas, and got a call while there, that grandpa had fallen and had to have hip surgery. :( Then in January he declined very quickly. We decided that we were going to have to find a way to make it to Michigan for a funeral. Weather was getting bad, and we got news that good possibility only 24 hours. So we left earlier than we really wanted to. Got up to Michigan early the day following leaving, and went straight to the nursing home. Grandpa was still with us. I got to see, talk, hug, and love grandpa one more time! (#29) We were there about 9 a.m. and around 2:45 the kids were getting restless, so Papa took them and was heading home. I was there with my mom, grandma, and aunt when he took his last breath. I was able to be there for family and help them through this (from the medical side of it, as I dealt with it a lot in the nursing home). (#30) I was glad I could answer questions, and help them understand things a little better. The nurses hadn't been in but once all day. I was not happy about that.
Whilst up in Michigan, we had to do a few repairs on the van. But guess what, it was now winter approved! lol Just in time to head back to Kansas. We had some weather while visiting there. We even started into the ditch once, but was able to all but get myself out by driving through it. Two men that I love, were able to push us out the rest of the way. (#31) That incident could have been so much worse. I was blinded by a semi, and couldn't see where I was going on the highway, going like 25 mph. He flew past me, stirring up a lot of snow dust, enough to blind me. I had no clue where I was on the road or not.
When we returned home, we got word that the bank was going to approve our deed in lieu. (#32) So when that all went through we would have 7 days to vacate the premises. Not that we wanted that to happen so quickly, but had to take what help we could. So we fervently set out to look for other homes, that we could rent, in Kansas or even Michigan. Laws are that you have to have one bedroom for each gender, and no more than 2 persons per room. Yeah, like we are going to find a 4 bedroom rental on his disability income alone. No one had anything of the sort. No family had room for our whole family, or was willing to put us up. Then we were offered the option, that if we could get to Michigan, my grandma and parents would put us up for no more than a month. I promised grandma that. I was hoping we could find something in that time, since we would be in the state. We got the call, and actually only had 5 days to be out. So we hustled, and packed like 20 hours a day, and tried to say all our good byes.
We had help come down from Michigan to help us move. We had friends and family help us pack up. We took up the offer and temporarily moved in with my grandma and parents. (#33) We at least had a place to stay! Thank you so much for doing that for us. They didn't have the room, but was more than willing to help us out for a short bit. By the end of that time though, we were ready to be out on our own. However, one had a place for us.
More later . . . .
