Since we have moved in, our apartment has been uncomfortably warm. We first purchased a fan which seemed to do little but circulate stale air. We then called the physical plant office to ask if there was something that they could do. They came by a couple times, each visit resulting in turning our locked-thermostat down a couple degrees and leaving us with the promise of cooler temperatures. After these attempts I decided it was time to take measures into my own hands. I proceeded to remove the vent covers and washed them all in the bathtub. I then began removing the air filter that lead into our bedroom, at this a blast of dust, dirt, particles and smoke filled the room... the filter was in need of replacement. After replacing the filter and the recently cleaned vent covers the breeze coming through the ducts seemed to improve but only marginally. After another week of high temps and humidity Katie appealed to the powers at be for something to be done.
An HVAC specialist came out to our apartment and reported that he found that the damper in the main control room was stuck shut for our apartment. WE'RE NOT CRAZY! He opened it nice and wide which resulted in a second visit from the black smoke monster... this time our kitchen was left with a film of black dust and the bedroom was only partially scathed. Katie and I spent the next few hours vacuuming, swiffering, dusting and cleaning in order to get ready for the house tours last night. After all was said in done, our apartment is now cool, clean and crisp! We look forward to good rest and a comfortable climate here in our home.
I must say that I have been so incredibly impressed with Katie's patience in all of this. She has kept her cool through all of these changes and responsibilities. One might think that I would have been only an afterthought in light of all things "new" that have come our way. However, this is far from the case. It has been a joy to venture into all of this with her. Us being married has only seemed natural.
It seems that almost every night we find ourselves laughing together at all of the things that the past day had brought. We find ourselves being able to take ourselves and the other less seriously than in the past and yet this allows us to hold an even more sacred view of the other; a view that believes we are each less fragile and ashamed than we once believed and now growing more and more secure and honest.
Honesty with ourselves is like a dirty air air filter in the air ducts. No one wants to face it. I was struck by something the HVAC specialist said yesterday. "The problem is that you GRA's are only here for a year or two and then you leave. Most people can live with something for that length of time, or at least that's what the institution wants to believe." Well marriage, as it turns out doesn't work that way... sooner or later we need to take a look at our own smoke monsters, deal with them, laugh along the way and then enter into the rest and peace that comes with the renovation of the heart.
James, that is such a great word. Thank you so much. In His Presence, that filter looks even dirtier and needs cleaning. Inner cleaning is a lot like changing the filter. Keep up the great words. Love you both. Vivian
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