When It Rains, It Pours

Literally.

We spent New Year's Eve at the Bassett's home happily eating chocolate from a fountain, playing a murder mystery game and shooting off fireworks. I (Donna) had a cough, but all seemed to be well in Bennett-World. Around 1 a.m. we began our 40 minute trip home. I had begun to feel TERRIBLE and was certain I was about to die. All I can envision is a quick stop to Wal-Mart for some over-the-counter-cures and my warm bed. Before we even leave the neighborhood, Josh realizes the driver's side window is stuck. All the way down. And it's COLD. I am about to cry as each minute I realize how very sick I feel. Josh pulls over, fiddles with some switches and the window goes up. Tears averted.

We grab my meds, head home and I am certain that after a good night's rest and a holiday off of work I will be good as new. Um no. I am then bed ridden for the rest of the week. It's the can't-check-your-email-or-talk-on-the-phone-or-read-a-book-and-can-barely-figure-out-how-to-function kind of sick. My voice disappears and my new raspy man voice easily entertains anyone who talks to me. Of course these germs attack me during the one month I am without health insurance. I plead with my NC doctor over the phone until he calls in a prescription. Thank You Jesus! Obvious blessing number one. Unfortunately the antibiotics don't really help as apparently I've caught some virus floating around the North GA area.

I am out of work the entire week and obvious blessing number two is that my supervisor is a previous boss and dear friend, so she generously works out the sick leave I need that I've not yet earned. Thank You again Lord! It's 11:30pm on Saturday night(one week ago) and I am still feeling pretty terrible. Josh realizes he has caught the germ and is heading into a downward spiral. My phone rings. It's the tenant who lives in our house we've been renting out for 3 years in Dahlonega. Bursting pipes. Water everywhere. She's moving out. It was kind of a blur. Josh talks to her, the water and power are turned off, we promise to call our home owners insurance and fix it all up somehow.

Sunday morning Josh is full blown sick. Me and my raspy man voice begin to harass the insurance agents at their home numbers found via Google searches. Sunday afternoon Josh insists on going to Home Depot and the house to "take care of business" despite the fact he should stay in bed. We head to the house armed with pipes, a wet/dry vac and a carpet drying fan. We are miserable, yet determined. The Bennetts don't want to pay a gigantic insurance deductible for a lil' ole leak that handy Josh can fix!

This is what we were not prepared to find...


Apparently a filter on the water pipe froze and the entire end of the filter blew off and dumped water all in the attic until the ceiling collapsed, which in turn seeped water all through our house. Here is the view from the attic...


On Monday I met a representative from an insurance-company-recommended-restoration-company. He estimated well over $10,000 worth of damage including the entire bathroom being ripped apart, the heater taken out, possibly all cabinets and counter tops coming out, wall gutting, carpet replacement, etc. He assured me that he's seen worse and all of the damage is fixable. He estimated at least two months, maybe more until our house is "good as new" again.

Wow. Again, not what we expected. So, we are definitely paying the big ole deductible in light of the needed repairs. And most likely the tenant will be politely excused from her lease if she so wishes. And our little cottage in the woods will be going on the market once it's restoration is completed. I haven't been back to the property yet...it's still in the drying-out stage.

I know that I sound like like a Debbie-Downer when I recount the story, but we really have been able to praise the Lord for the many blessings within the trial. This mess occurred while we lived nearby and not in NC, the flood happened in a room where our tenant did NOT keep her confidential work papers, we are financially able to cover the mortgage payment that's been plopped back in our lives since we live with family and we have home owners insurance!

While the situation has been stressful and difficult, we know the Lord will provide the strength and wisdom to see us through this time. We are both still sick--I am beginning to think Josh might need an oxygen tent--so I leave you all with the advice to take your vitamins so you don't catch this never-ending virus. I am certain our new year has to improve soon...