David Will Have a Pool

Z has said so many times of late that he really doesn't like people very much anymore. His starry eyed optimism of youth is quickly turning into the well deserved cynicism of becoming an adult. I have tried to temper his burgeoning jaded outlook with positivity, but sadly even I lose a bit of faith in mankind at times.

If you follow our daily exploits on facebook, then you will know that the last few weeks we have been dealing with "the saga of the swimming pool." We have an above ground pool that we have had for years. This pool has been extremely important in Davids summer physical therapy routine. Water therapy is one of the best therapies going for kids with cerebral palsy and since we are on the road to David walking....it is even more crucial now. After having a rough go last fall and winter, our pool did not get winterized properly, however a wonderful group of people from a local church group came and helped us drain and clean the pool out a couple of weeks ago. With a clean pool we then began to fill it. By the next day, the liner had slipped and about a thousand gallons of water had soaked into the ground. We refitted the liner and tried again....same outcome. Thinking that the third time was the charm, we tried again. This time not only did it slip but it also started to cave the pool in and then the Kansas winds joined in and left the pool fairly mangled. We then learned that our pool pump/motor was also toast. I was really devastated as we had just gotten the okay for David to begin his physical therapy in the pool and the doctor was both ecstatic and hopeful that by summers end he would be walking. 

The night we gave our pool last rights....I came in the house pretty defeated. I had no pool and no money to buy another one. I remembered that a friend of mine had found an really nice pool on Craigslist in the free section. The homeowner no longer wanted to deal with the up keep, they just wanted it gone. I thought maybe I could find one too. While I didn't find a free one, I did however, find one that was right here in town and was like a dream come true. It was bigger than our pool and had a  3/4 deck along with every bell and whistle you could imagine. It's most amazing feature was the "grand staircase" steps it had that would make getting David in and out of the pool a breeze. Add to that a solar cover, leaf cover, winter cover, vacuum and pool toys galore and it was a deal worth well over $20,000 for just $2000. I fell in love immediately but knew it was nowhere in my league. After all....it was over $2.00 which was all the money I had to my name. I did decided however to put it in God's hands and if for some strange reason we were to have this pool....He would show us the way. The very next day, I saw God hard at work. 

While on fb, I got a message from an amazingly kind individual who stated they wanted to help David get a pool. This Craigslist pool got brought up and they told me to go look at it and if I liked it, to let them know. On seeing the pool in person, we were in love. After such a crappy last few months, this pool seemed like the happiest thing we had had in our lives in a while. I immediately contacted my fb friend who said if we liked it to tell the lady that they money was in the mail. Unfortunately my poor fb friend and I had gotten our wires crossed in the process of talking about a pool motor vs the pool and they misunderstood thinking the price of a pool motor was the price of this pool. Once we realized the mistake, I had to go back to the pool owner and tell her we couldn't get the pool. 

This was a heart breaking process for all of us. We had let ourselves get attached and dare to dream about spending our summer with David in this pool, watching his legs getting stronger and having a much needed vacation away from all that had been a part of our last few months. The pool owner was so kind and she nearly cried as she had seemed very happy that her beloved pool was going to our beloved David. While we were there she had called her daughter and then she came back in and we had a really wonderful conversation. She said she felt that this pool was still going to be ours and that she was going to just hold it for a week. She said that a lot could happen in a week and by the next Thursday, she was just sure that I would be calling her with good news or she would be calling us with good news. At any rate, she just knew this would be Davids pool. I still had no money and no prospects of money, but her words gave me hope. 

On coming home that evening, I posted on fb that we would not be getting the pool. When I told people about the pool originally, many had posted that they would like to help disassemble and reassemble the pool and deck. I literally had about 50-60 people willing to give up a couple of weekends to help David have his pool. I wanted those who had volunteered to know that unfortunately we would not need their services. As I finished the post, I had decided in my head that for whatever reason, this pool was not in the cards for us. I had also decided though that this pool was brought to us, because for some reason we were suppose to meet the pool owner. She was kind of an amazing person and someone who you walked away knowing that they had touched your life in a special way even though you weren't sure what that was at the moment. 

Within a short time of posting my sad news, a very kind young woman in my town had decided to take the lead on a fundraiser for David so that he could get this pool. I was also getting messages from others offering to help any way they could. Hope began to rise again. God was obviously still working.

The weekend was crazy with graduation and people in from out of town. I had no computer time and was not able to keep up on the fundraiser. Then today (well actually Sunday) when all was quiet, I took a peek. Many had donated and the number was rising. I was hoping that Monday or Tuesday I would be able to go to the lady's house and present her with cash for Davids pool. I had even discussed with several today about the logistics of preparing my yard for the pool and dismantling the pool and deck at her house. I was so excited and I couldn't wait to see David's face when he saw his new pool. Then the young woman who headed up the fundraiser checked in with me today and suggested I touch base with the pool lady to let her know where we were at. Since in our last discussion she had given us until Thursday, I really had no plans of contacting her until either Thursday or when I had cash in hand (whichever came first) but was so excited I decided to go ahead and call her. She did not answer but then called me right back. 

At first she acted like she wasn't sure who I was. I could feel an uneasy feeling crawl over me. I kept thinking though, Surely not again. Surely we aren't going to lose this pool a second time. My worst fears were confirmed as she said, "Well honey....I sold that pool. They are here right now taking it down."  I reminded her as nicely and non-panicky as I could that she had given us a week and she said that they had offered cash. Feeling defeated I hung up. First I cried a bit and then I pulled up the big girl panties again and looked for a plan B!

Plan B started out as a thorough scouring of Craigslist and the local classifieds. There was nothing even remotely close to what I had just lost. Most were too small for David to get any therapeutic benefits or way over priced. I was so frustrated and sad. I wanted to ask WHY, but then I knew the answer would be....WHY NOT? My second thought was What lesson am I suppose to learn here? I would say right off hand, patience. Then there is the fact that just because we want something doesn't necessarily mean we get it. (I really thought I had learned that lesson a long time ago) Then there was that old stand by, that maybe this whole pool thing is a journey and that this particular pool was just a stop in the journey but not the actual journeys end. Whatever the case, I handed it ALL back to God and promised that I would let Him handle this pool thing from here on out as I was sure He knew better than I about it all. 

No....I have not given up. There has to be the perfect pool for David out there. I just haven't met it yet. This pool was obviously the perfect pool for some other family and I am okay with that. Now Z, he was a little upset. I know he was disappointed as he was so looking forward to helping with this project and giving David what he needed to walk. I saw his cynicism creep in and his dislike and distrust for most of the human race rear its ugly head as I told him the pool was gone. Then I reminded him of all the people who volunteered to help us with the pool. I reminded him of those who started and contributed to the fund raiser and I reminded him of all those who have helped us emotionally, physically, financially and most of all....all of those who have prayed for us during the rough patches of our life....especially the last few years. I could see his face soften and the realization that not all of the human race deserves his disdain. Not even our little pool lady...God bless her heart.

The bottom line is, this is just another speed bump. At the end of the day we will survive this one just as we have all the others that now reside in our rear view mirror. We are blessed by kind strangers and amazing friends. Most of all, I have complete faith that God has this and in the end....just like he will walk.....David will also have a pool!