just what i needed

My Dad wrote a great blog about answers to prayers and encouraged us to write about experiences we’ve had. This is one of my favorite topics to talk about because I know that God answers our prayers! Coming from a girl that has been praying and praying and praying to be blessed with kiddos, and (clearly) my prayers don’t seem to have been answered yet, this may seem a peculiar testimony to have. But I keep praying because I know that eventually, in some way or another, in this life hopefully, but the eternities are a pretty great time too, my prayers will be answered. Here are a few of my favorite experiences:

Our first few days in Philadelphia were MISERABLE. We moved in during one of the worst heat waves in history, had no AC, no fan, no furniture, and couldn’t find a store to save our lives. Not having TV or the internet, we weren’t even aware that it was a heat wave- we thought we had moved to Hell.

Before our furniture arrived, we decided to rip up all the carpet and paint the bedroom so that we would have an area of respite while the kitchen was being demolished. Did I mention how HOT it was? And that we couldn’t run an AC in two rooms at once? I can’t believe the paint didn’t evaporate into thin air.

Our furniture arrived the day after we painted, in what was the hottest and most humid day EVER. We had to empty the UPack trailer and move all of our stuff into a U-haul to take to our house (for some reason we couldn’t park the UPack trailer at our house). We were a little worried that it was just the two of us, as I am a wimp and wouldn’t be too much help, but it was the middle of the day and we didn’t know anyone we could ask to help us. We prayed that we’d be able to get it all done, and that the EQ would show up that evening to help us move the stuff from the U-haul into the house. As we were heading out the door, we got a phone call from one of the members of the ward that said he wouldn’t be able to help us unpack the U-haul that evening, but could we use his help this afternoon? I am still grateful that Zach followed the prompting (either from the spirit or his awesome wife) to call and offer his help. It took Isaac, Zach and me three hours to move the things from one truck to the other, in the HOTTEST weather I have ever experienced. There is no way that we would have been able to do it without his help.

That evening a few guys came over to unload the U-haul and we got everything in the house. One of the final things to be put in place was our bed. I was physically and emotionally exhausted, and was so excited to be able to sleep in my bed. Maybe this place would start feeling like home if I could just get a good night’s sleep. The guys took the mattress upstairs, and then went for the box spring. It didn’t fit. They tried and tried, but couldn’t get it up the stairs. In desperation, I ripped up a part of the ceiling, hoping that would help (it didn’t). I NEEDED A BED. After everything we had gone through in the past few weeks, saying goodbye to family and friends, driving across the country, sleeping in cheap hotel rooms and on air mattresses, and being so hot I thought my blood would boil, I NEEDED A BED. I cried and cried. I called my mom and cried some more. We called a few places to find out the cost of a split queen box spring, but every place we called said it would have to be ordered and would take a couple of weeks (and would cost about $400). I cried and cried and cried. I remember sitting on the stairs just sobbing, hating everything about Philadelphia, when I realized I hadn’t even prayed about my problem. I cried to Heavenly Father and explained that I was miserable, and how badly I needed a bed to sleep in. It was such a small thing, but please, PLEASE, can I just have a bed?

Right then, a thought came into my mind. I knew exactly how we could get the box spring up the stairs. I called to Isaac through my tears and explained how to do it. Isaac was skeptical, but agreed to try (anything to stop my sobbing, I’m sure). It worked on the first try! Isaac was amazed, as he is one that is spatially inclined, and I am certainly not. He and two other guys, who had moved people into row homes many a time, hadn’t been able to figure out how to get the mattress up the stairs. I know that Heavenly Father answered that prayer and put into my mind exactly how to go about it. I can’t even remember how we got it up, and we probably won’t be able to get it back down, so when we sell our house it will come with a free box spring. Heavenly Father truly only gives us what we can handle- and he knew I needed a bed or I would have gotten in that car and driven back to Utah (where most homes have beds and central air, what a novel idea).

Since our electrical was so out of date and we couldn’t run an AC upstairs and downstairs at the same time (did I mention it was HOTTT), we decided to get a quote on putting in a few new outlets. After taking a look, one electrician told us it would be about $2k (!!) for a couple of outlets. As soon as he left our house, I started to cry (it was an emotional time, okay?) and asked Isaac what on earth we were going to do. Before Isaac could even answer me, his cell phone rang. It was his mom who had just had a thought- we should ask Isaac’s dad to fly out to Philly and do the electrical for us. We’d pay for his ticket and he would spend almost a week helping out. She didn’t even know that we were getting a quote that day. Another prayer answered, right when I was about to lose my head! Isaac’s dad agreed to the plan, and was a huge blessing to us- we would probably still be working on our kitchen today if it wasn’t for him!

Wow, that was a long story- proof that I haven't given up blogging for the facebook. Thanks for the idea Dad, this was just what I needed today!