Testing... Testing!

What's being tested is my patience. Thankfully my faith can't be shaken, so my patience and sanity is all that's left. We've had quite a fun time lately. (note hint of sarcasm) Here's a recap:

1. Getting ready for our Nebraska trip to see family - air conditioning goes out on the '02 Chevy Trailblazer.

2. We drive the "not so roomy" Toyota Tacoma to Springview, get home and decide that we'd like to trade our vehicle off instead of sinking more money into a gas guzzler. Visit the local Toyota dealer, spend 2 hours finding the "right" vehicle in which to trade and enter into a lease situation for, to find out that our trailblazer is basically worthless. The window sticker on this vehicle was $35,000 in 2002. We were told the trade value on this vehicle (only 6 years later) is $2,300 - but they're going to be generous (again, note hint of sarcasm) and give us $4,000 - oh please- don't do us any favors. We walk away.

3. We sleep on it - and the next a.m. - bummed that the deal didn't work out to trade for a Rav 4 - we decide that we're glad we actually like the blazer, minus the poor gas mileage, and so we take it to a chevy dealer to get the AC fixed. Also find out that we have a bad tie rod end, and 2 bad tires and that we'll need an alignment also. Grand total... $1,700. UGH.

4. After we drop the vehicle off, we come home to find out that we have no phone or internet service. (sigh) I am getting so tired of this. Every time the wind blows or it sprinkles, we lose service. So... we call a guy to come out and fix it.

5. I'm in the middle of goat milk soap batches and Ciara leaves to pick Brandon up from work at DQ - the phone rings... it's Ciara - she just got on interstate and has a flat tire. GOOD GRIEF!!!!

6. Luke leaves in his truck to go help Ciara. I try to call Brandon at work to let him know that Aunt Colleen is picking him up, but she'll be late since Ciara had car trouble. I have no phone service still... so I pick up my cell phone and it has a low battery. The phone guy wants to know what the password is for my internet router and the only person that has a clue is Luke, who is out changing Ciara's tire. So I plug in my phone and call him and get the password. I go to call Brandon - but have no number for DQ and it's not in the phone book so I have to call information first. (now I'm getting pretty grumpy.)

7. The phone guy says my phone works and is getting ready to leave. I ask about the internet service and he says that we're connected. I ask "are you sure? I can get my computer and check it." He says he just had his computer connected there at desk. I jokingly say, "so what's your address and phone number in case the internet doesn't work, that way I can hunt you down." We laugh and he leaves.

8. Luke gets home with Ciara and says that he got Ciara's car into town and that she will need new tires in addition to what he spent getting it back on the road.

9. I'm getting supper ready to throw on the grill and Luke discovers that he has low tires on his truck and that they're not holding air, so he has to plug 2 holes. (will it never end!?)

10. So at the end of the day when supper and dishes are done, (about 10 p.m.) I go to check my email and guess what? NO INTERNET!!!!!! (SCREAM!!!) So I get tech support on the phone and they have no record that someone has been here to work on our phone. No notes to let anyone know what the guy did or that he was even here. UGH!!! I was on the phone with tech support for over an hour before Luke got in the house from weed whipping and I let him take over trying to figure out why I have no wireless internet. 45 minutes later he's done and it's fixed. We sit in the chair to relax after a gruelling day and fall asleep. Wake up at 1:30 a.m. and go to bed.

Today has to be a better day, it couldn't be worse than yesterday for sure. So I'm gonna praise God for all that is right in our life and trust him with all that isn't.