It started at 6 am Saturday morning, the time Super Dad rolls out of bed because he’s insane and likes to run eight miles or so with his buddies on Saturdays. He heard this ominous dripping, and upon checking the basement found about 1-2 inches of water all about. The water heater had busted, leaving quite a mess.

Now, I don’t know about you, but we had plenty to do on the weekend before the weekend before Christmas. But our plans quickly changed. It’s interesting how much of your life involves the convenience of hot water. And just how nasty a flood truly is.

We were fortunate that Saturday’s weather was warm enough that leaving the doors open while we pumped out water wasn’t a problem. We were downright blessed that in the storage closet where all the Christmas gifts were hidden, even though it flooded, all perishable items had been placed on top of plastic storage tubs and nothing was ruined. (One box is ruined, but the contents are fine.)

We pulled up carpet and will likely throw away the saturated pad. Fans borrowed from the neighbors have been running constantly to dry things out.

And like an angel, a dear friend, who is a nurse, stopped by with a gift for LuLu after her scopes on Friday. As we talked, she mentioned that her brother repairs boilers and could probably help with the installation of the new water heater. What a God send that was! By night fall we were able to shower again.

Of course, as is the usual way our “happily-ever-after” stories end around here, we woke up yesterday to discover that this new tank was leaking. After deciding that it a) wasn’t going to heal itself, and b) wasn’t likely due to our installation (no water around the pipes), I called the warranty center. The repairman just left, saying it was the drain valve at the bottom that was leaking and he replaced it. We’ll see how dry the place stays now.

What this has to do with parenting special kids is beyond me. Except that at a stressful time of the year, parents who are already stressed to the max are further tested when emergencies like this strike! But keeping your sense of humor and looking at the bright side are essential. And what Nancy said over on the RAD blog about mere annoyances versus major crises is very true!

We’ve decided that we probably wouldn’t have cleaned the basement, especially the carpet, as thoroughly as we now will before our guest arrive next weekend. So, see, it’s all worked out for the best!

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