On June 5th, my dog supposedly "attacked" the mailman therefore putting a temporary ban of mail delivery at my residence. So I get to pack up 3 kids and drag them on a field trip to the post office and have a conference with Ron the supervisor tomorrow, where I will sign a "dog document/agreement" before my mail can be resumed. Fun! I say supposedly because we have had a "dog threat" warning before, my German Shepherd jumped on our locked metal screen and barked ferociously at the mailman during his route. Hmmmm, dog threat eh? Not once was our mail carrier in danger. I do live in Stockton, you know in the top for most dangerous cities in all of our country? I believe that Dogs are better at steering away intruders than an alarm and therefore good ole Sam was doing what he was supposed to. But the P.O did not see it that way. My annoyance in all this is that no one let me know that my dog "attacked" someone. Isn't there like a law about this? Oh and did I mention that on the day this "supposedly" happened Sampson was confined in our patio room between two locked doors? (As in NO WHERE NEAR THE FRONT YARD WHERE A MAILMAN IS LOCATED?!) Yeah, you can say I plan on contesting this accusation. But reality bites me when I know that nothing is going to change and I am going to be on the address list of threatening DOGs and will probably have to put up one of those "BEWARE OF DOGS" signs to avoid renting a P.O. BOX.
Also, last week our Washing machine broke. The one my father in law bought for us one year ago. Funny, the first washing machine I ever bought cost me $25 used and lasted 7 years, whereas this brand new washer that cost $538, broke in less than one year-just saying. Any who, I called Lowe's to come fix it before our warranty expired last Friday. Today was the first available appointment to get it serviced and what do you know, it is no longer covered in our warranty and I paid $85 to a Santa Claus looking technician who spent all of 15 min. resetting the machine. Of course after he left I dived into the mountain of laundry that piles up with three kids (one who spits up on everything and another who is potty training with peed pants and bedding.) Don't you know the darned machine won't even turn on now? Before it was "fixed" the only problem was that the water didn't drain out completely so my clothes were sopping wet. So I call the company and they don't have another technician available until FRIDAY! So I tell them that is unacceptable and after several hours of arguing why, I put a stop payment on the check and told them not to bother sending out another. I also called Lowe's and blew up their phone with complaints about the warranty that expired and a payment that I had to pay without ANYONE informing me prior to the visit today. So now I have a phone appointment with the manufacturer tomorrow to apply for an extended warranty, otherwise I will call a friend of a friend who is a technician and pay him to fix it! Meanwhile the laundry is building up and I am going to hit up relatives in the morning to begin tackling the loads so my son has clothes to wear and bedding to sleep on.
Did I also mention that our Vacuum cleaner broke today? Well, I don't know if it is broken--it just doesn't turn on suddenly. So also on tomorrow's TO-DO list is visit Target and buy a new one. Then after visiting the post office today, picking up a HUGE stack of mail, that I got to juggle to the car while also carrying Tabby in the car seat, I found a notice from DMV that Brandon's car registration is incomplete because it was supposed to be smogged. I called his Aunt who is currently borrowing the car while Brandon is in Haiti and informed her, she informed me that the check engine light has come on = automatic fail and non-op status until we figure out why.
ALSO this week: Our neighbor's pit bull has broke into our backyard three times in the last two days busting out boards each time, and now I am just waiting for the fence to level completely as it rocks from side to side with each jump AND our second bathroom has wood rot from a leaking toilet (that home warranty was SUPPOSED to fix but didn't) and we are waiting for the toilet to fall through the floor as we feel it sink with each sit. So Dad is coming to fix that tomorrow for me.
$$Cha-Ching$$. $$Cha-Ching$$. $$Cha-Ching$$. I hear my savings dwindling away. My frustration level is rising. I miss my MR. FIX-IT dearly. And then....
While sorting through the bills accumulated from sitting a week at the Post office, I come across our monthly newsletter from the missionaries in India whom we stayed with in 2007 and read in the updates that Jarman has past away, loosing his battle to kidney failure. My heart sinks. My frustrations shrink. My life is so spoiled it is ridiculous.
We met Jarman and his family in Rongtado. He is a missionary who moved to a remote village in India 5 hours away from civilizations. HE was THE most encouraging, sacraficial man you could ever meet. His needs put aside for the village around him. His smile was so contagious. His prayers more than uplifting. This is what the newsletter reads:
"Jarman went home from Hospital on May 16. We will miss him. The believers dug his grave where he wanted to be buried. It was a challenge taking care of his dialysis expenses for 15 months. We still have bills to pay."
Further down the prayer list it states:
"Nepal trip remains postponed because of unrest there. India is also beginning to show signs of unrest."
and
"Another $1K and we should be able to get a generator." (where they hold church and school)
Okay God, I get it. My problems are NOTHING in the face of controversy of our fellow believers.I can live without a vacuum, washer, mail, fencing and a second toilet. And I need to stop complaining about money issues, because I at least have money to take care of our needs and even some of our wants.
Below is the only picture I have a Jarmen. A man who impacted my life as many will never know. His legacy will go on as he powered through his illness for the cause of God's kingdom. Americans will never know the sacrifice he and his family has endured. Thank you Jarmen, for deepening my faith through your simplicity, courage and smile
(here Jarmen sits, in the red shirt, through a neighboring villiage meeting discussing the building of a new school that would not only provide education for children, but bring the word of God to this hindu nation.)
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