"Move to Fresh Air"

I just finished the book, The Endless Steppe, which tells the story of a young girl and her family who are deported from Poland to Siberia during World War II. The book's descriptions of the transport to Siberia, the living conditions and the weather have been on my mind lately. I am in awe of the people who lived, and survived, lives such as hers. I am fairly certain I could not do the same. It seems like, lately, God has been doing some "unschooling" with me. When I develop a fascination with a topic, He likes to make it more "real" for me.

All day yesterday I was smelling something odd and feeling a bit out of sorts. Mainly I had a headache but, since I hadn't had caffeine all day, I figured it was that. DH came home, we had dinner, got the kids in their jammies and about 8 PM, the carbon monoxide alarms started going off. The flashing light says "move to fresh air", which I said out loud (bad idea) so this is what my children have been chanting for the last 10+ hours.

DH stayed behind to work with the furnace guy and I headed off to the hotel with my five chickadees in tow. We must have looked extra-pitiful because they gave us a deep discount on a suite and free breakfast (my dad must be so proud ;0) ). To call it a suite was pushing it...basically it was a small alcove with a sleeper sofa (which housed the 2 girls) ,I was in one queen, the older boys were in the other, and baby G was in a crib beside my bed. Yes, it was tight. Still, considering what I had recently read, the fact that we were out of the weather and together, how could I complain?

I think it brought the suffering and sacrifice of the people in that book into even sharper focus and that, for me, turned it all around. I could have been uncomfortable or unhappy or scared about what was happening back at the house and having all of these little ornery people in one room but all I kept thinking was "thank you God, for allowing us to be here, together, warm and safe." It amazes me how the Holy Spirit can work to change your attitude. Grace is a marvelous thing. It makes someone even as weak as me have a good day every now and then.

Oh, we're back home. It was some uncombusted particulate that they cleaned out and it all seems fine now. I don't think there was any lasting damage brain-wise to the little people. They thought it was all a great adventure (I love that, don't you?).