After the initial shock of the fire, the Powells had to get their game-faces on. After all, that’s what Powells do–they strategize. You’d think we’d learn our plans didn’t matter much after we watched our house go up in flames but it quickly became clear that while we’d continue to make futile attempts to get behind the wheel again and again, this was much bigger than us. This, as we would see, was ordained and orchestrated by a sovereign God as the ashes from the fire barely had time to cool before blessings began to rise from the blaze.
After crashing for a couple of days at our dear friend’s house, we called on some other friends for a place to stay. They were, as life would have it, traveling in Europe for two months leaving their beautiful three-bedroom condo right near Ken’s work vacant. They answered our email with a resounding “YES! OF COURSE! Stay at our house!” (Miracle #4).
(Miracle Recap: #1 KP woke up out of a dead sleep and saw the fire in the first place, #2 He thought to shut the sliding glass door before we ran out and in the process likely saved nearly all of our belongings, #3 Everyone in the building made it out without a scratch.***)
That Sunday we had the chance to share with our Sunday School class exactly what we’d been through in the preceding 48 hours. We found the experience to be both humbling and healing. While it felt as though we were babbling erratically, we hoped that in some way, our experience touched those around us and God was able to use us whether it be to merely spark a conversation about having a fire safety plan (even though ours went out the window before you could say “Smokey the Bear” we did have one and now know to add “get a bigger extinguisher and a rope ladder” to the plan) or something more precious like giving the little ones an extra squeeze before bedtime, we were honored to speak about what was on our hearts. Let’s go ahead and call this Miracle #5. Having beautiful friends to pray over you and practically give their right arm to help you (or in our case a crib) is hardly anything less. Oh yeah, Miracle #6, our friends are having babies left and right leaving a slew of onesies, bassinets, swings and blankets in their wake.
Monday we did a walk through with Service Masters, a restoration company that State Farm set us up with (Miracle #7, #8 and #9…thank the GOOD LORD we had renters insurance, KP had upped the policy recently with the addition of baby loot and our SF claim guy rocks socks). We would learn that only a few of our belongings would need to be completely replaced and the rest could likely be restored after being treated for smoke damage, Miracle #10. The process would start as early as the next day with Amanda from FirstTeam Fabric Restoration coming to pick up all of our soft goods. Amanda turned out to be as warm and kind as the day is long. As we tossed piles and piles of clothes in bags, we chatted about pregnancy and babies and jobs…she was an angel and even thought to use hypoallergenic soap on all the baby items, Miracle #11. The rest of the week Service Masters themselves would pack up all of our other belongings to be cleaned and “ozone-chambered” (don’t look at me…I have not a clue how it works other than it just does.) They, too, were a pleasure to work with and BOTH companies were very sympathetic to our situation and didn’t hesitate to “rush” crucial items for us including all the stuff in the nursery and our bed so we’d get them back the first week of September, Miracle #12.
That brings us to Thursday. Thursday was sorta sucky. That is, until a perfect stranger who isn’t even from around here prayed over Ken and I in the middle of MOD Pizza. That’s right. We had just gone to look at an apartment that was a total dud and feeling utterly discouraged and exhausted at just the thought of finding a new place to live, we decided to drown our sorrows in Barq’s and Pepperoni. As I walked in, a woman eating with her daughter gestured toward my giant belly and commented on how beautiful she thought I looked. I could’ve kissed her right there but exercising self-control, I smiled and uttered a quiet, “Aw, thank you.”
After dinner I grabbed a to-go box and suddenly felt compelled to give the woman a more proper thank you. It was, after all, one of the hardest weeks of my life and her kind words did not fall on deaf ears. I approached her and told her as much to which she quickly replied, “I’m so sorry to hear that. May I pray for you?” You could’ve knocked me over with a feather. Like a wilting flower dying for a drink, she could barely finish her question before I ran over, grabbed KP by the hand and scurried back to tell her the whole story. What followed was something right out of Psalms and one of the most beautiful prayers I’d ever heard. She’d even taken the time to place her hand over my tummy and pray for our little boy. It brought tears to my eyes and so much peace and comfort to my heart, I could barely stand it. As quickly as we had said our hellos (her name was Shannon) we had to say our goodbyes. But we left feeling a million times better, Miracle #13.
Friday morning we got an email from a good friend from church who said he’d hook us up with an old real estate pal of his to help us find a place. He didn’t normally do rentals but he was willing to help us out and was happy to send along some options, Miracle #14.
I am skipping the rest of Friday because my heart can’t bear it. Friday night we had to say goodbye to our apartment and lock up for the last time. Like an old friend being ripped from my arms mid-hug, It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do and I wouldn’t wish something like that on my worst enemy.
Early Saturday morning we reviewed the listings, Dustin, the agent had sent over. My heart skipped a beat. There it was, Miracle #15. A beautiful, brand new, never been lived in condo for rent in a complex we had nearly bought at a few years back. We loved the property but held off on buying to pay off debt. (That, too, was a miracle because the market crashed shortly after that.) It was renting for the same price as our other place but had a washer and dryer and garage parking–two things our last apartment lacked and were desperately wanted by this mommy-to-be. We arranged to look at it later that day. (We’d come to learn that this would be the one and only listing we’d see with Dustin but without him, we wouldn’t have been able to see it at all because it was listed privately, Miracle #16) It was exactly how we remembered it–modern yet inviting, open yet quaint, chic yet homey. It was perfect for our little family. Ken and I exchanged glances, clearly both smitten kittens. Careful not to get too excited, we asked about the pet policy. “Oh you guys have dogs? Hmm…they probably aren’t going to go for that. It says no pets in the listing.” I slowly made my way from room to room, still envisioning where all our furniture would go. I stopped in the nursery and imagined Ken and I laying our son in his crib. “You can definitely call them and ask anyway.”
And call I did. I left a message with Tony, the agent, and heard back shortly after. “Put together an email pleading your case. Include pictures of the dogs and anything else you think will help your story. We could’ve rented it a hundred times by now but no one has good enough credit. Maybe they’ll make an exception on the dogs.” At that point, I opened a new email and proceeded to play all the cards I could…our house burned down…I’m three weeks away from giving birth…our dogs are little and nice (the nice part was a bit of a stretch for Bear but I went with it anyway.) All Saturday night and Sunday morning I kept checking my email. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Sunday morning we shared the update with our Sunday School class saying that so many things had fallen into place and all we needed now was a new place to live. As we were leaving church, I saw that I had missed a call and voicemail:
“Hi Lacie, this is Tony with Windemere, I forwarded your email to the owners and I just heard back this morning. They said that yes, they would consider your application. Congrats, you are the first ones they’ve let apply with pets (Miracle #17) so they must just be ready to rent it. Oh and…um…we were all kind of curious…they actually live on Market Street (Miracle #18) and I’m near there too and we all saw what we’re guessing is your building…the one Gibralter owns…I actually knew Gabe your landlord and know his brother Jerry (Miracle #19)…we were wondering if that was your place? I’m guessing it was most likely was…we’re so, so sorry. Anyway the next step is to submit…”
That my friends, brings us to today, Monday. We submitted our application, have been approved and are leaving in a few minutes to go and sign a one-year lease for a place we love, Miracle #20. Just ten days after the fire we will have a place to call our own and bring our baby son home to. And, hopefully by the time he’s born, we’ll have returned to us his tiny crib and soft jammies to put him in at bedtime. Then, after the Mr. and I toast with champagne, we will be able to slip into our own bed and drift off to sleep, only now we’ll probably snuggle a little closer together. God is not just good, HE IS GREAT. And with Him ALL things ARE possible. A few weeks ago, we were asked in Sunday School, “How would you do if everything was stripped away?” Ken and I both remember thinking, “Not well, not well at all.” And don’t misunderstand me, we are both completely aware that “everything” is a relative term and things could’ve been much, much worse. Grateful is not word enough to describe our feeling that it wasn’t. The fact that this completely rocked our world says a lot about the size of our world to begin with. We are working on that. We know this isn’t the end of His story or work but for now, the Powells could not be happier and we have written on our hearts this verse:
But he said to me, “My GRACE is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. -2 Cor 12:9
***All these miracles don’t even include the “gift with purchase” miracles…a.k.a. the mini-miracles and joys that we got with the bigger ones that have just plain made this more bearable; officially meeting and bonding with neighbors that we walked by dozens of times before without much more than a “hello,” finally having use of a washer and dryer that doesn’t require us to get a roll of quarters at QFC, spending more time with friends through numerous invites to dinners and coffees to get the latest scoop, the several empty boxes we got from a friend that we didn’t think we’d need but actually turned out to REALLY need, a lease ending next September putting us in a better place financially to finally buy a house than a lease ending in June like we had at our old place, we can move without actually having to MOVE because both companies we’re working with will deliver all of our things to our new house…and finally one of my favorites of all…our nearest and dearest and even those we rarely get to see or talk to offering to do ALL they can to help. Our cups runneth over sweet friends. We love you all very, very much.
