Watching God at work in our lives.

This past year has been an amazing 

journey as a family and with God.  On 

September 13 of 2008 we woke to 

house alarms screaming threw the 

house telling us we had water in the 

basement at the sump pump.  When first 

coming to the basement it was just a 

little water, but we could tell we were 

going to have lots more, but would of 

never had guessed the final amount and 

how much destruction it would do.

I can remember calling the fire department, 

Tim grabbing wood and miscellaneous 

objects to try and hold back water, Jack 

trying to help hold the water back and William crying, screaming and so scared.  Within 

an hour our basement was under 2 feet of 

water.  Furniture was lost, Rubbermaid's' 

floating, glasses shattered, photos submerged 

and our wedding album lost forever and so 

much more.  It was so numbing, but I can 

remember saying my family is safe and we were 

all thankful for that.

Clean up began and Tim was off to Europe 

on a two week trip with his brother Jon.  He 

had wanted to cancel, but I wouldn't let him.  

It was only clean up and he wasn't going to 

miss any meetings with contractors or insurance, because it was all about clean up during that 

time.  It took 2 full weeks of cleaning out the basement.  

Well while he was way we found out another changing moment in our lives.  we were 

expecting our 3rd child.  It was interesting 

in trying to tell Tim I was pregnant since he 

was in Europe.  I had sent an email to Jon 

tell him to have Tim call me because there 

were some insurance questions I had; when 

really I was wanting to tell Tim our exciting 

news.  It was our first month of trying 

and in that month God brought us a flood 

and the gift of new life.  How amazing - she 

is our rainbow!

Our excitement quickly changed to exhaustion 

and really bad 24 hour morning sickness.  

Insurance was falling into place and final 

plans for the basement was coming in too.  

Our days would start by letting contractors in, 

to rushing the boys to school and then me 

crashing on the sofa the rest of the day 

just hoping sleeping would ease the discomfort.  

The saw me getting sick all the time and was 

worried about that and try to comfort them 

and keeping it quiet until the end of the first trimester.  Good thing we didn't make a lot 

of trips back to Fort Wayne during that time.

Thanksgiving came and off to Cabo we went 

with the boys and the Leman Grandparents.  

We had made it to the 2nd trimester and it 

was time to let everyone in on our little 

secret - the boys first!   They were so excited 

and the rest of the family too.  But the biggest surprise is when we told them how far along 

we were.

Second trimester came and went so quickly 

and I feel great!  During that time we even 

took the boys to Disney World for their 

birthday week.  They got to ride their first 

big roller coasters and even though I 

couldn't - I couldn't wait for them to coming 

running around the corner laughing, their 

eyes huge and telling all about it.  I loved 

being apart of it and loved that the 3 men 

in my life was having awesome bonding time.

Third trimester comes and I start to get so uncomfortable and not getting a lot of sleep.  

The basement and yard repairs are now

completed and it is time to do baby room 

for our little Grace.  We didn't know what her 

name would be at the time.

The birth of our 3rd child had come.  It 

was my hardest and most intense delivery 

for me.  I now totally understand 

what natural birth is all about (Yeah, I 

like by epidural-how I would of loved that), 

but I can say it was all worth it. It was 

also our most emotional delivery for Tim 

and I and for my mother and sister too - 

we cried like baby's. Like for all of our 

children - when seeing her for the first 

time it is so indescribable and what you

dream about. I don't want to forget a 

signal moment. 

It was also so amazing to see the boys 

run into the room soon after she was 

born.  The expressions on the boys face

 when they meet here for the first time 

were priceless.  Jack just kept calling 

her precious and "I think we need to do

 this again".  Will just smiling and rubbing

 is hands together as fast as he could 

waiting to hold her. 

It had been one wild  journey  that year

with my nephew Nicolas, a grandfather 

passing, my mother being so sick with 

stones in her liver and our flooded 

basement, so it was such joy, peace and 

blessing of ending that chapter and 

starting a new one.

But the blessing keep coming and we 

kept seeing God at work. 

Another great moment was renting a 

lake house in Northern Michigan and 

spending the week with my sisters family

 and mine.  Great quiet moments and 

lots of crazy moments too.   We have 

always had close families, but this time it 

was reaffirming that included such 

wonderful memories.  From our family 

Olympic day, fishing days, hiking 3 miles 

with strollers (crazy), to watching Nicolas 

comfort Grace by lifting his arm and 

lay it on Grace while she was crying.  For

me and my husband we got to witness my 

sister's family caring for Nicolas day in 

and out and their love for him.  They are an 

amazing family and as her sister I was 

humbled.  She is a beautiful person in this 

walk with Nicolas and trusting God.  It

was humbling to see how I have been 

praying for this one HUGE miracle and 

for her and Jake are the most thankful 

for the smallest of miracles. 

And now we are back to Sept 13, but 2009.  

Exactly one year later and we are 

heading to church.  It is an exciting day 

for our family, because today we are giving 

Will and Grace back to God like Hannah

did in the Bible.  Hannah had been praying 

for a baby and finally had a son named 

Samuel.  I can remember praying for all 

three of them before they were even 

conceived and how like Hannah I longed 

for a child at three different points in 

my life and how God has touched my 

life with them.  

After having Samuel; Hannah had 

promised God she would give Samuel 

back to him after he was wend.  How 

fitting that on the one year anniversary 

of our flood,  I can look back and see 

how God has been guiding us, His hands 

on our lives and His Grace.  We are truly 

blessed and now we want to give our 

blessings back to him.

Following the dedication I also 

watched my oldest son get baptized 

and he was so excited.  I didn't know 

what kind of emotions I would have 

but I held it together until the end.  

Kyle the youth pastor asked him if he

new how big of a day this was for him and he responded "huge".  He was so little up 

there. Kyle lifted him up so we could see 

him and then we could only listen in 

because we couldn't see him.  I felt 

like during that time he looked a like 

a toddler again not a big 7 1/2 year 

old and all my memories of him from 

finding out I was pregnant, birth, his 

dedication and all our talked flashed 

before me.  After the dunk he wanted 

to make sure we saw him so he jumped high 

in the water onto the edge so we could 

see him.  He had the biggest smile on his face; 

no fear what so ever.  It was so amazing to

see him excited and truly enjoying that 

moment. 

Our year started with a flood and 

ended with a beautiful rainbow. Our 

hearts are fuller. Ours lives have been 

change and Gods hands have been on 

it the entire time.