If the TV gig doesn’t work out…perhaps I’ll be a plumber…

Apparently, telling the enemy that he could not have my faith did something to me.  Perhaps I should’ve done that a while ago, but I awoke this morning with a new attitude and it was a good day.

I dropped the kids off with their science fair projects and I was proud of them as I looked at the other display boards that were not quite as good as theirs.  Pride?  Yes.

I came home and paid bills and worked on my budget.  I kicked butt and took names at work.  I coached, I advised, I led with my business.

I figured out how to be at a graduation planning meeting at 5:45 tomorrow, get Matthew dropped off for tutoring at 6 and Sam to Brownies by 6:30.  I called some friends.

When the work day was done, I fed the kids.  I fed myself (you think this is so easy, but so many nights, it’s them that eat and I forget or get distracted.)

I cleaned the kitchen.

And then?

I decided that I was going to scrub the bathroom.  It needed it.  My plan was to work my way around to the linen closet and go through the linens and take the ones that I don’t want to the church yard sale.

I started under the sink.  I removed everything and went to move a bottle of alcohol over to where the peroxide was.  The bottle tapped the pipe under the sink and then there was water.

While Matthew took his time getting me a bucket, I held my hand over it, assessing exactly what was going on.  It didn’t take a rocket scientist to determine that the pipe broke.  They were old.  It was inevitable.

After determining that I was going to need at least a new trap – U – piece or what ever it’s called, I started calling around to my friends looking to borrow a pipe wrench.  I secured one, went to pick it up, and he asked me, “Do you want me to come over and help?’

“thanks for the offer, but let me see what I can do.”

“Do you have the piece that you need to replace?”

I replied, “No!  I have to take it off first so that I can go to Home Depot and show them what I need.”

And I came home and removed the pipes.  One more than I actually NEEDED to replace, but it wasn’t looking so hot, so I thought, what the heck… as long as I’m down here, I’ll replace it too. (Okay, so the reality is, I broke the pipe off of it while trying to remove it and while I could’ve salvaged it, I felt it was easier to just replace it.)

I wish that I could tell you that this was some debacle; that I screwed it up horribly and there was water spewing everywhere, but I can’t.

This isn’t really comical except for the fact that I broke the pipe CLEANING (which is why I think that I shouldn’t clean…).

I got the pipes off, I went to Home Depot, I got what I needed, including the tape to go around the threads (which I actually knew that I needed) and came home and started assembling the pieces back together.

There was one last piece and I just wasn’t sure how it went on.  It didn’t fit with the washer and so I headed back to my friend’s to return his wrenches and ask him.

“You don’t really need this washer.” he told me and followed with “Are you sure that you don’t want me to come over and help?”

“It’s almost done!  That was the last piece that I needed, but I promise… if I get home and it’s not right, I’ll call.”

He seemed displeased with that answer but gave me some parting advice and I came home.

And I installed my new pipes.

Did you get that?

I, me, Heather Jacobson, installed my new pipes.

I turned the water on and so far, no leaks.  (And the pipes are so clean now you can hear the water draining.  It scared me at first.)

But the best part about this isn’t that I paid a whopping $11.47 for this project.  No, that’s not it.  (Even though I saved a minimum of $100).

The best part about this is that I didn’t freak out.  I didn’t panic.  I assessed the situation, called and asked for help, asked questions and figured it out.

I did that.

And for me?

That’s a big deal.

This whole day was a big deal.  A good day.  A day that I so desperately needed.

I have spent so much time the last three weeks feeling dumb, worthless, like I couldn’t do anything right… but today?   I did it.

And I hope tomorrow is the same, minus the broken pipes.

Until next time…