Dear Reader:

What a God Wink awaited me these past two days- Thursday and Friday…(yes the 13th)…and as much as we thought we had successfully ignored that old “13” it came to fruition Friday afternoon.

When I am gone for several days I do the blog posts ahead of time…so any predictions I make are made on my personal faith and hope. And actually the week with getting the grandchildren up and out in the mornings to school  and planning afternoon/evening excursions worked beautifully…Mandy and I made a great team…divide and conquer- between Jake and Eva Cate! 🙂

Like yesterday’s blog post read…It really was a Week of Faith…unfortunately one with a twist… one of faith being tested. Harriett Edwards message explaining faith’s role in our lives (shared on Saturday’s post) came “home to roost” when tested with our two other family members in Mt. Pleasant… Walsh and Mollie and Tommy and Kaitlyn.

Early Thursday morning…a text pinged from Mollie letting me know that their beautiful golden retriever, Poogie, had collapsed on the stairs late Wednesday evening (thank goodness after the children were asleep.) She was immobile and her heart beating irregularly. Walsh could barely get her in the car to take her to an emergency vet at that time of night.

They had to drain fluids from around her heart twice…but by morning she was stable…they suspected cancer in or around the heart but wouldn’t know for sure unless a CT scan was done which happened first thing Friday morning. As of the time I closed down the computer for the night Walsh and Mollie had not gotten the results back.

They opted to do the test because they couldn’t be at peace about a permanent decision without knowing what was really going on and the quality of life expectations from the test results.

I went over early Thursday morning and spent the day so Mollie could talk to her vet and get Poogie moved for the CT scan…as you can imagine it is a pet owner’s worst nightmare…Poogie was the first “child” in the family before Rutledge, Lachlan, and Eloise arrived. The children were confused as to what happened and when Poogie was coming home and why she had her patient’s name on her paw.

I was just glad I could be there to hopefully help Mollie decipher some of the medical information (from different perspectives and several options) flying at her. Later while Eloise slept taking her nap… Mollie left to conference with the emergency surgeon…so necessary information about Poogie could be carried out, transferred and important procedures completed at their regular vet’s office. Walsh had to work but they were conversing on and off all day with emotions running so high over their first “baby.” (I was definitely supposed to be in Mt. Pleasant this past week)

Please keep the Dingles in your prayers as they go through this scary and heart-breaking wait-time to see what the final test results will be.

Then, completely, out of the blue, Mollie called Friday afternoon and said Kaitlyn just called from work…Tommy had left to hurry home because the house and newly completed Air B&B were on fire! I almost dropped the phone….this could not be happening!

I must admit it shook me to the core…Tommy and Kaitlyn have been working like Trojans to get the Air B&B ready…spending every penny to do so fixing it up…and then being so delighted with the initial positive tourist evaluations. They had the apartment booked ahead for several months. Life was looking up.

In a very quick synopsis…there was a plumbing problem around an old faucet not working properly…a plumber had been called to fix it…he came but while sautering…a spark hit some wood and caught fire going straight to the attic and in just minutes the two sides, especially the Air B&B was in flames.

Pictures below: both guest bedrooms

Thank goodness the plumber was able to call the fire  department immediately and they arrived quickly…several trucks and 15 firemen worked hard to extinguish the flames. Two of  Tommy and Kaitlyn’s dogs were in one bedroom and the door had to be knocked down to rescue them but they were rescued and are fine.

The plumbing company is, thankfully, taking full responsibility for the tragedy…in fact a SERVPRO team was already there and working hard when Mandy, myself, and the children ran over. The real problem, of course, is major financial loss from earlier bookings, smoke-smelling wardrobes, curtains, beddings, and especially the time needed by contractors to get the two sides back to “normal.” They can’t live there until it is fixed.  Once again, prayers are welcomed by all the family.

So until tomorrow…as the message on faith ended…

“Faith doesn’t always take you out of the storm, Faith calms you in the midst of the storm.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

I don’t want to end the post on  sadness and tragedy because it was a beautiful week with lots of fun…I actually got to attend Lachlan and Jake’s first soccer practice and watch them get their team shirts…so happy! They are the BLUE SHARKS! Rutledge is now a pro having played several years and their team is hoping to win some tournaments this year.

Mandy and I planned special excursions like picnics at the park under the Ravenel Bridge and ice cream runs to Baskin-Robbins on the afternoons after school.

Even Thursday among tears and sadness over Poogie…little children keep you smiling and laughing in all their innocence and love.

Butch, Kaitlyn’s Dad, told me a funny cartoon about the coronavirus and Walmart but when Susan, Kaitlyn’s mom, tried to send it…it didn’t come through.

*Will work on it for tomorrow’s blog…but it did get me thinking…a little humor goes a long way in uncertain times….so I will try to share one cartoon or “funny” per post with you- if you find a cute one do share…we all need to be able to laugh more.

*Don’t forget everyone to take time to love each other and all God’s creatures each and every day…more important now than ever. We can love our way through this and love always wins.