Boxing Day

It has been a strange Christmas season at the Wanberg household…. Kait and I were figuring out what Christmas looked like as our own family while simultaneously unpacking boxes, planning for the kitchen renovations, and adjusting to life back home.  We have shed our fair share of tears as we remember the months we had in the house with Kaitlin walking, and have laughed heartily as we build new memories and struggle through the adjustments. 

Last Sunday Kaitlin and I were cooking lunch at home; it was nothing special, just a frozen pizza.  Set your timer for 12 minutes Bobby Flay, no skill needed to make this meal.  11 minutes into the cooking time, our oven started smoking furiously due to some gunk which had accumulated in the bottom pan.  We opened the door and fanned it out, but the smoke just kept coming.  Naturally, I decided we could get a more airtight seal out of the oven door if we locked it, so I did.  At this point I need to pause and say that Kaitlin was hungry… not just “I could eat” sort of hungry… more like “FEED ME OR DIE” hungry.  You can imagine my terror when I discovered that our oven door locked smoothly… and then refused to unlock.  I begged, I pleaded, I hauled on the stupid little latch thing, all to no avail.  “GET THE PIZZA!” my wife yelled, to which I responded “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!??!?!?!!  IT IS LOCKED!”  As we bantered back and forth with each other I tried to explain to my hungry wife that I was really on her team.  I also wanted the pizza to be out of the oven, but could not see a solution short of getting out my power tools and cutting a hole in the oven door.  At this point all we had was the faint oven light, revealing to us that our pizza was being baked into a crispy little black hockey puck.  Kaitlin wanted to call 911 – I said no and got out the tools. Fifteen minutes later we had removed the still hot cook-top to get at the locking mechanism, which I cut off… no machine bests John Wanberg and lives.  The pizza looked terrible, but we ate it anyways.  We are still laughing.

The past few weeks have been very difficult.  We have been noticeably delinquent in posting on the blog and communicating with those close to us.  Even so, I want to let you all know that we cannot even express how loved and supported we feel in the midst of our exhaustion.  The outpouring of gifts, money, kind notes, well wishes, and friends willing to listen and grieve with us continues to amaze us.  Life without this support would be dark indeed. 

We cling to the truth of the gospel for strength. When it feels like we can’t do it, we remember Jesus – who being in very nature God, still humbled himself to the point of death on a cross (Philippians chapter 2).  On the days in which we are close to despair, we try to remember how God has used you all to provide for us, and ask him to give us just enough strength, and a little bit of laughter along the way. 

Love,

John

Preparing a Place

Jesus told His disciples, “I am going ahead of you to my Father’s house which has many rooms. There I will prepare a place for you” John 14:2  Although we all believe that Jesus was referring to heaven when he made this statement, I must admit that I am reminded of it each time I enter Kaitlin and John’s newly renovated home. The community which has come together to make it happen has been so inspiring and humbling: packing and emptying the house, demolition, sanding, moving the shed, leveling dirt, laying concrete, countless lunches for work crews, tiling, electric, grouting, refinishing floors, painting, cleaning, mopping, dusting, assembling closet storage units, loading, unpacking, and finally reaching the ‘move in’ day! What a fast and incredible journey this has been.  It could not have happened without your generous financial donations and the volunteers who sacrificed their time and energy to the effort. It feels as if the Lord has had His hand in gathering together a community of workers to serve and help prepare this home for Kaitlin and John; a home which will undoubtedly be a true blessing to them for years to come. We are grateful beyond words.

During the past 10 weeks the upstairs of the house has been transformed from the original 2 bedrooms and small bath to a larger master bedroom, laundry room with front loading washer and dryer, and an enormous, totally accessible bathroom featuring a roll-in shower, his and her sinks (hers with a higher clearance to accommodate the wheelchair), make-up area, accessible bathtub, plenty of storage, natural lighting and beautiful cabinetry.

Frank, our lead contractor and Mark’s long-time friend/CU fraternity brother, graciously offered his services to supervise the project. We feel very indebted to Frank and his hard working crew of subcontractors who have approached this very special construction project with a sense of heartfelt purpose. Frank told us from the start that his objective was to make this home such a great place for John and Kaitlin that they would never want to leave it. Seeing it, we’re certain that will be the case.

A lift, which will help Kaitlin go up the six stairs between the main level and the upstairs, has been provided by Home Builders Assoc (a non-profit specializing in accessibility). Although the kitchen still needs renovation, it is functional and usable and is another project which will begin sometime in mid February.

In addition to the inside changes, a large detached garage has been built in the backyard complete with new wider sidewalks and porches which allow Kaitlin direct access from the garage to the house with no stairs to negotiate.

This home will be a place where Kaitlin can feel comfortable and independent. We are so thankful to everyone who helped to make it possible. Thank you, Lord for preparing this house for John & Kaitlin. 

Pictures to come soon!

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please continue praying for complete and total healing so that Kaitlin may walk again

Protection from flu and respiratory viruses

Effective physical therapy as Kaitlin adjusts to having had her back brace removed.

Gentle transition back home for both Kaitlin and John

Softened hearts as we all make our way through the grieving process

The Lord to help us through our loss and sadness and bring us ultimately to a place of healing and acceptance

Love, Sue