Perspective

Just when Kent and I were feeling like life was getting back to 'normal' again things happen to make me both irritated and grateful. Our apartment complex has been quick to get repairs started which meant all the third floors had to be inspected for leak damage. We had been lucky, due to some advice from Sheri, Kent's sister, we poked holes through the ceiling drywall to get the water to leak through. Other apartments had the entire drywall collapse inward. While ours didn't look so bad, the damage was still considerable since the walls were even soaked. The company came by on Thursday and I arranged to be gone all of Friday for them to pull our the drywall from the ceiling.

We camped out at Emily and Dane Roberts place ... incidentally, they now have power, as of last Wednesday ... (a dance of joy to all those electricians!) We went to Costco (Isaac and Eden held hands on the way, it was darling! - sorry, no camera) shopped, ate pizza and shared a sundae, took naps and played. Isaac had so much fun. I even got to see Zia walk several steps!

Things were great until we got home and saw nothings was done! Apparently they need us to move out for several days since walls needed to be pulled down too. I grumbled and complained as we quickly moved some bare essentials to an empty apartment. As many of you know, I don't deal well when I feel like I don't have a 'home'. I was irritated to no end.



Then we went to church today.

I guess I needed some perspective. I knew we were blessed to have our electricity and businesses open nearby and I had forgotten how others might be doing. There was still no electricity at church, we had a generator operating a mike and 2 fans and the windows and doors were propped open. Bishop mentioned needs and opportunity for service the next coming weeks - in fact, it sounds like every Saturday people in the ward will meet and go out and help clean up. When asked who still did not have electricity, the show of hands was considerable. Many only had the power come on just last night. Apparently a sister in our ward even had her baby and the height of the storm that early Saturday morning in her own home. Thankfully she is an obstetrician and her husband a doctor. The baby is well. When all was said and done, what had I to complain of, inconvenience was the small in comparison to so many others.

So now when I'm tempted to wonder when they'll finally have all the traffic lights working, I'll think of those in the area who still must be without power. When I complain that the stores I usually go to are not open yet, I will think more about how hard it must be for them to be unable to earn money and that I have the freedom to go about my life normally when they cannot.

Below is a picture of Isaac in 'Little Mexico' at the Children's museum.