Best laid plans......

of mice and men often go awry (or something similar to that!).....or otherwise known as life!


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Photo courtesy of Stephen Cullo who is
an amazing musician and wondeful photographer!

God did it again last Thursday to us. Kelsea and my parents were less than 72 hours from leaving for St. Louis and the housing that we had planned on fell through. Dad got the call about 2:30 in the afternoon and there we were. I was sitting on the computer and I heard him talking. Before he hung up the phone, I grabbed Hayden's "Presidential" football (what I like to call my 2' binder that has EVERYTHING stored in it dealing with Hayden), went to the couch, and started looking through the "housing" section. Close to a hundred options were out there, ranging from hotels, to motels, to apartments, and hospitality houses.

This was something Mom and Dad had planned on and been working on for close to two months. However, God decided to remind us that He is in control and that His plans are much greather than anything we could ever devise. In a situation like ours, this would be one of those things that would push you over the edge. It would set many people into a frenzied panic. Kelsea had 13 friends coming over in less than 5 hours, the house was a mess, laundry needed folded, we needed a place to stay, and yet through it all, God was right there with us. As I had said the night before at the prayer service at Columbus Road, I can't imagine going through this without God by our side and on our side. After Dad and I both making a few phone calls, our nurse coordinators (Chris and Shannon) called us and started the ball rolling to get us referred to a place called The Haven House (Click on the link to view where Kelsea and Mom are currently staying).

This is a wondeful place for families living outside of the St. Louis Metro area who have to come to the area for medical treatment. It had been recommended to us by a friend, but we didn't feel we needed to look in to it because we had planned on staying at a duplex which is one of several private houses used for people seeking medical treatment needing long-term housing. God basically felt that there was somebody who was in greater need of the place we had planned on staying and you can't question that!

Kelsea and I had our "final" meal Saturday night and you would never guess what we had....... Of course we had to have a Jeff's Special, Margarita Stix, and an order of hot wings delivered from none other than Tower of Pizza! Did you really think it would be something else?

Well, Kelsea got a good night's sleep Saturday night. I told her this would be the last good night, not to mention full night, of sleep she would get at the house in a long time! It is still hard for me to imagine that in 12.5 days, Hayden will join us on the outside and next time Kelsea comes home, we won't be alone! I knew it was coming. For the past two months, after we decided Kelsea would go to St. Louis early, it seemed like this date was so far away. Even though I was ready for it to get here because I knew it mean we were taking the next step in this journey, I was scared and worried. However, right before she left, I got to do something that was one of the most powerful things I have ever done. Kelsea, my mom, my dad, and I all prayed before they left. I think that is the first time we have prayed together as a family (Sorry Kelle, we will get you next time!) on an intimate setting like that. I felt so close to them and God at the same time. I just know that He is looking after and going to take care of all of us!

So, for the past couple of days, I have come home to an empty house (not really...Dad was here last night and it was so nice to lay on the couch and watch the National Championship game last night with him...the couch was nice...not the game!!!!) and have dearly missed my wife and Hayden, but take comfort knowing she is only about 20 minutes from the hospital. It was also nice to know that other's are looking out for Kelsea. I have mentioned it before, but a former "player" of mine has continued to turn the table on me and is teaching, showing and reaffirming to me the love God has for us. Matt Cowman, and a special "friend" paid a visit to Kelsea and my mom today. They took them a wonderful home made pastry, good conversation, and prayer. It's truly amazing how God uses us to fulfill his plans. It also helps that I have been extremely busy planning for my sub that I will have when I am gone. Although it has taken over 30 hours the past 5 days, my sub has everything he could possibly ask for until March 8th! I mean EVERYTHING! All he has to do is open the binder, make a few copies, then stand and deliver. Hopefully my kids won't be like the kids in the movie Stand and Deliver! It has been stressful, but I know it will make my life (and his) much easier when he takes over. I do have to give credit where credit is due though. My "next door neighbor" and former co-teacher has helped me tremendously. It was Kim who gave me the idea to have everything laid out for the sub from when she had Cooper a few years back and also she helped me a ton these past few days filling in the holes of missing files I had from my thumb drive going down the drain 5 days before school started last August!

Even though Kelsea and I hoping to be home with Hayden WAY sooner than March 8th, I figured I would plan that long just in case. I'm just praying that God will make these plans go awry as well!


I couldn't find a place to "slide" this video in to my story tonight, but I couldn't just ignore it either...this dog LOVES the snow!