When it rains it pours! (*LONG*)

[k2bdeutmeyer]

I don't really know the point of this thread other than my need to vent. Remember my friend who is in the photography contest (I asked for votes - and thank you to all who have!)??? Her poor family is just under an incredible amount of stress and I feel completely helpless.

 

Things have been tight for them for a few years. Her husband works full time and is going to school full time for engineering. She stays home with their 2 kids as it wouldn't pay for her to get a job. Daycare would eat up any earnings.

 

They have taken out massive amounts in student loans just to live day to day. Then....they found out they were pregnant unexpectedly in May of 2008. They had already sold all of their baby belongings thinking they were not going to have any more children (BFF has endometriosis and spent thousands to get pregnant with her first). Her DS was born in February of 2009.

 

Fast forward to May 2010. They woke up one morning to find that they had been robbed - while they were home! Her purse, camera (remember she is a photographer) & all supplies, all of it was gone. The most devastating to her was that her son had just gotten his first haircut and in her purse was an envelope with his curls. That, and on her camera were photos of her daughter seeing and riding her bike for the first time. Photos that had not been put on her computer yet. She lived in fear for a long time. Afraid that since they didn't take any of their electronics (computer, TV, etc..) that they were coming back.

 

In September BFF told me that she was nervous because they kept getting letters in the mail from banks marked "urgent" addressed to the owner of their house (they rent). They tried over and over to get in contact with the owner, but never heard anything back. Sure enough, in late October, the property management company called to tell them that the house was being forclosed on. They offered a rent reduction so that they could put a lock box on the door for showings. BFF was devastated. This was the first home since she and hubby owned a very nice house of their own (that they sold to get their DD) that had actually felt like home! They also do not have funds for a new place (first and last month's rent and security deposit). She doesn't know how they will afford to move anywhere.

 

Recently bills have been piling up on them. Her DH lost his ability to work overtime (employer won't let them) and it has resulted in car payments and credit card bills that haven't been paid in 3 months or more. They had virturally perfect credit up to this point.

 

Thanksgiving weekend BFF called me in a panic at midnight. She found out she's pregnant with #3. She's devastated. They are NOT in a place to be adding another mouth to feed. They had been using condoms 100% of the time, and she just can't wrap her head around how this happened.

 

A few weeks ago she called me in another panic because as she was on her way to drop her DD off at preschool her car started smoking and the check engine light came on. So, for the next day, she drove around DH's car. That night, her DH went to go to work at 2am and came upstairs asking her if she had had any trouble with his car the day before. She stated that she had not. He went back down to the garage and then came up a few minutes later with his ignition key. It was broken. When she had pulled the key out of the ignition the day before, it had partially broken off in the ignition. He took her car to work and worked on it when he got home. Even with all the tricks he could find online.....he couldn't get it out. That car is still non-functioning....and the other is still in bad shape. They can't afford to have either of them fixed.

 

Rough couple years, right?? Well....it gets WORSE! A few days ago they decided to go to the grocery store as a family. They got the kids ready and headed out to the garage only to discover that the garage door had accidentally been left open the night before and somebody had come in and ransacked their cars!! Thankfully they didn't have much of value in there, but they did get ahold of their garage door openers and spare keys! Her DH reset the code to the garage door, but she is fearful of them having the spare keys to the car with the key in the ignition. And even worse, it has affected their DD this time. She is very uneasy about it all. Especially after it became personal yesterday when BFF had to tell her that she couldn't listen to her favorite music CD because the bad guys took it.

 

So....anyway....#1 thanks for letting me vent, and #2 if you're the praying type.....could you send up a few for her. I feel so helpless.....and there's just nothing I can do.

 

Thanks.

[Hedgehog]

I'll certainly pray for your friend. Send her a hug from me. :grouphug: It sounds like her family have had more stress in the last few years than many people have in a lifetime.

[ErinD]

Sending only good thoughts your friend's way - I think I'd have had a nervous breakdown by now! Hope this is the last and the great things are winging their way to her and her family even as I write.