Whew, what a week!

“We glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”                                  Romans 5:3-4

Let me back up to last week.  Because of the huge snowstorm we got last Thursday, my dad’s flight got canceled and he stayed with us a few more days through Saturday am. Saturday morning, dad leaves, Kinsley wakes up, and we realize she is running a fever. At first, it’s not high. As the day goes on, it keeps getting higher. And it continues through Sunday.  We talked Sunday about taking her to Urgent Care, that it may be a viral infection, but it could be the flu, but even as we are talking about it, she pepped up and only complained about a sore throat, runny nose, and a high fever. Definitely didn’t act like she had the flu. So we didn’t take her. Mistake #1.

It continued through Monday and by Tuesday morning, we knew that we needed to take her in. My mom took her, only for the doctor to take one look at her and say it was the flu, and that he had two other kids in the waiting room with the same thing. When my mom mentioned we had a one week old at home, he said he didn’t want the baby in the same room with Kinsley. We waited too long to take Kinsley in (have to catch it in first 48 hours for Tamiflu to work) so she had to suffer through the whole thing. That same morning, Ed started with a sore throat, coughing, and a fever.  He had already left for campus, but after Kinsley was diagnosed, he went to Urgent Care to get checked out. The doctor confirmed that he also had the flu and put him on medicine. So we quarantined Ed and Kinsley to the girls’ back bedroom.

That same day, I stopped at our front desk to get a package and also got a letter from our management that we had received a noise complaint and that was in violation of our lease. We had no clue what had caused the noise complaint, which makes it hard to correct the problem.  So here we are – 2 people sick with flu, trying to keep 1 week old baby well so she doesn’t end up in hospital and a noise complaint (which in my head meant the next one would mean we would get evicted, which isn’t true). I spent the evening alternating between crying, feeding the baby, and telling our kids to be quiet and to quit running in the apartment.

Wednesday, Emerson started coughing and running a fever, so I took her in, only to get a positive diagnosis.  Her pediatrician went ahead and gave her Tamiflu, gave Blake Tamiflu, and put Kinsley on Tamiflu just in case she had a different type than Emerson.  And he said “I am really concerned about the baby. At this point, everyone is exposed so they don’t have to be quarantined, but the baby needs to be quarantined.” When I asked what else we could do, he said the only thing we could do was pray.  He is Jewish, but even here in NYC, hearing someone say that is a HUGE deal. So we asked people to start praying. As I returned home, we had gotten a notice from the apartment that we had things stored on our balcony (a bike and a few chairs in bags) and that was in violation of our lease and needed to be moved. The next morning, I started with a sore throat and fever, so I went to Urgent Care, but the doctor said it wasn’t flu, but a viral infection…praise the Lord!

Fast forward to today, Friday.  Emerson is still running a low fever but should be fever free tomorrow, hopefully.  Kinsley went back to school today as she was fever free for 24 hours.  Ed also went back to campus/staff meeting.  I am feeling better and not running a fever, though I am not 100%. My mom and Blake are still in the clear.  And sweet little Brynn, though still quarantined to the bedroom, is well.  Needless to say, it has been quite a week, and we are so thankful that this storm appears to be nearing an end.

And as for the noise complaint, I talked to the apartment office and they apologized that we had even gotten one.  Yes, there was one filed, and it appeared to be from our kids running but it was from an apartment that made no sense to be complaining about that (meaning they weren’t below us).  She also said that our building has kids and pets and that it is apartment living which means there will be noise and that if people want it quiet all the time, they need to get a house. She also said that between 8 am and 9 pm, we are free to be loud, and that they have no right to complain, which she was going to explain to them.  She also really liked me (thank the Lord!) and offered to make a note that when we get a noise complaint, she will let us know personally instead of going through the complex, making a letter, and getting everyone involved. This was a HUGE weight off my shoulders! But for the record, our kids have been outlawed from running in the apartment and I put up all musical instruments and dress up shoes 🙂 It also has been encouraging to hear about other staff with families living in apartments getting noise complaints and to know that we aren’t alone 🙂

Besides having favor with apartment management, the Lord has been so gracious to show us that he sees us and cares for us even in the midst of a really hard week. On the day that we got the flu diagnoses and the noise complaint, we also got a check in the mail for a substantial amount from Pawleys Island Community Church (a partnering church in our ministry) to help with baby costs.  This was no coincidence that it came the same day. Then, the next day, we got a sweet care package with gifts for our whole family from family friends back in NC.  Then, the next day, I got a super sweet letter from another friend back in NC wishing me an early happy birthday and saying how much she missed us.  Even this morning, we got a message from another good friend and ministry partner giving us encouragement and offering to use their points to pay for Brynn and I to have a hotel for a night.  Add onto this multiple other texts and emails and calls.  And, my mom has been here to help, which I don’t know what I would have done without her, even just being able to cry on her shoulder and having someone sympathize with me.

I am so thankful for a God who personally cares about me, who sees me and affirms what I am feeling, and who provides just what I need when I need it.  I am so thankful for His grace, especially when I don’t deserve any of it. Our God is an awesome God!

 

 

1 thought on “Whew, what a week!

  1. April – Wow – what an adventure of ups and downs. I’m so encouraged to hear how God showed He is with you and cares for you, and the people He used in this! See you soon.

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