O Emmanuel

I woke up this morning thinking the toughest task of the day was going to be getting everyone ready  for Mass....oh how wrong I was!  As we began the rush through the shower with #3 already through the assembly line (just joking...I wish we were that organized!), I hear a scream from upstairs.  Thinking that someone was hurt, I rushed to find out what was happening...the toilet was leaking.  OK...I thought...no big deal...we can deal with that problem.  BUT, oh no...this was not just a small leak and before I knew it there were screams downstairs to hurry to see what was happening...How could it get worse, right?!  WRONG!!!  The screams were to inform me that there was A LOT of water coming from the light fixtures in the kitchen!

I managed to get the water turned off on the toilet and got a bucket under the almost empty toilet tank...there was a crack all along the back side of the tank.  It is amazing how much water those tanks hold!  The water went straight through the holes in the ceiling that hold the light fixtures (three of them...brand new...just replaced as a surprise from Michael before he left).

Since there was nothing we could do at the moment...and my rant of "Why ME?" was not getting us anywhere...I decided the best thing to do was to finish getting everyone ready for Mass and not worry.  Oh...I did switch the breaker off for the kitchen so we did not come home to a bigger disaster!

I was so thankful to have the refuge of a little church in the woods when I needed it most.  I told the couple who sits behind us that it was really the only thing that saved me from insanity this morning.

So, we listened to the readings and sang music of anticipation.  We heard how we should be like a child awaiting the most amazing gift...knowing it was coming...It was fitting that Brendan sitting next to me at Mass would look at me hopeful every time he heard the priest or deacon say Christmas.  "Mommy, is it Christmas yet?"  I am sure he was a little confused as he (and the others) were also given little gifts from two of the elderly parishioners.

Mass calmed me and I was able to think sensibly when I returned home.  We had a plan...first clean up the towels and table cloths (We used everything that could absorb water in the midst of the chaos!).  Then call my neighbor and ask him to come help me disengage the kitchen lights so we could have power in the kitchen again.  Then call our home warranty and see if a cracked toilet tank was covered under our warranty (I love our home warranty as it gives me peace of mind while Michael is away and has more than paid for itself over the years!).

We did get the towels and such cleaned up...after washing all day!

Our neighbor did come to help us look over the damage...he disconnected all the lights that held water.  I must say...when I called him he told me that he would come as quick as he could to help...he suggested that I take the covers to the lights and the ballasts off before he came...smart man...as these covers held a ton of water...cold water...that fell on my head TIMES 3 (there was no other way around it because in order for me to take the covers off I had to be directly under the light...I tried to maneuver each a different way but the same result every time).  I was actually glad that I did this without him here also as I was drenched and had the opportunity to change before he arrived.  Our neighbor is so kind...he also checked out a hole in our driveway and told me what to do to fix.  It has been a concern for some time and I have tried to fix myself but to no avail.  We are so blessed to have such a good neighbor!

AND...I did call our home warranty service.  They were happy to help us get the problem solved.  I was thankful for the quick response...assured her that there was no emergency and that we would not need anyone to come out until after the holiday break...so we are down one bathroom until Wednesday.

All in all...it could have been worse...we will survive this...WHY ME? I asked as the chaos started...Can we ever really understand why things happen the way they do?  Is it upsetting? Yes.  Is it the end of the world? No.  If only I could learn to see this from the start...what a better person I would be...and a better mother.  Brendan, sitting beside me, just asked if I hated him...so sad...that I would lose my cool and make him think that I was mad at him for what happened.  I am sure the others were wondering the same, but in his innocence he was willing to voice his concerns.  It made me stop and give them all hugs and ask them to forgive me for anything I might have said in the climax of the moment.

Needless to say, we did not have the opportunity to enjoy any of our Advent devotions this morning.  It was not until late into the afternoon and all had settled down again that Edward (on his own) went to the nativity and asked if we would come and say our prayers.  We added Joseph to the nativity scene.  We are asked to "accompany Saint Joseph from door to door. Learn from him silently and patiently to bear refusals and disappointments. Open wide your heart and beg him to enter with the Blessed Virgin Mary." Edward decided to take this to heart and took Joseph around to check out their lodging before returning to Mary.  We went ahead and moved Joseph, Mary and the donkey to the kitchen to continue their journey around our house.  We actually placed the trio in the middle of our Advent wreath ... I think they will stay there until tomorrow evening.  We will place them at the manger before leaving for Christmas Eve Mass.

Henry then placed our Jesse Tree ornament on our tree.  The symbol was a candle...reminding us that Jesus is the light of divinity and power.  We read from the Gospel of Matthew about the wise men following the star to find Jesus.

We did not get a lot of cooking done today...although we got our power back on in the kitchen, it is not so easy to cook in a dark room.  So..that leaves tomorrow to make anything we hope to have for Christmas.  I am so glad we know that it is not about the gifts or food that come around this holiday season to make it special.  We already have all that we need to make the day special...Jesus!  So today we made a double batch of Sausage Balls.  And then we had a late dinner.

Then we prayed the last of the antiphons:

"Come to save us, O Lord our God.  O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: Come to save us, O Lord our God.

"The manger reminds us of the simplicity and poverty surrounding the birth of Jesus and is representative of His life of humility.

Recommended Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7."

We did not read a book tonight...I was so tired that the boys were sent to bed early.  I think the day was just mentally and physically exhausting.  Normally, I read the book about the custom in many Hispanic cultures to remember the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem...Tomie de Paola has a wonderful version that I recommend...The Night of Las Posadas.  Hoping to get some rest tonight so we can be ready to enjoy the next week celebrating Christmas together.