Oh, friends.

This has been the strangest and most stressful week I have ever known.

My bum back drove me and David from Ohio to Chattanooga, rather painfully. My little girl has been with her Nana and Poppy all week. Mr. V’s grandpa died after being in hospice just overnight.

On Thursday, I was in such a rush of panic, knowing we had to get everything moved on Friday so Mr. V could leave this morning to go to Pittsburgh. We had no idea how David and I were going to get to the Outer Banks for our family vacation and my best friend’s wedding (that I’m IN!) because my back cannot make it through an 11-hour-drive alone.

I prayed feverishly while I was getting a facial Thursday afternoon. (Getting a death call during a Spa Day? Not so fun. I should have left and rescheduled, but I didn’t.) I knew that I could not control this situation and Jesus was going to have to take it over and wow us with His power.

He did.

A last-minute, $140 plane ticket to Norfolk? Fairly incredible.

Having such an outpouring of love from our church and friends that not only is all of our stuff moved, it’s almost all unpacked – and a sweet friend did my dishes, swept, and wiped the counters, too? Enough to make me bawl at His goodness and their love.

So … that has been our week. Today starts our beach trip, so I will be scarce if here at all. Enjoy the blog vacation. Go read a book! Or these posts.

• Your Stories Are Important at Next Step Editing
• How the Size of Your House Has Nothing to Do With the Size of Your Life by Lisa-Jo at A Holy Experience
• In Which I Share 10 Books I Read Over and Over and Over at Sarah Bessey – Ah, a girl who understands comfort reading. Mine? The Red Tent. Harry Potter. The Glenbrooke series. A Prayer for Owen Meany.
• YUM of the week: Ginger Peach Pie with Gingersnap Crust at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

So, what did you read that was great this week? Link up here. You can grab the code for the button in the sidebar, if you want. Please link back to Vanderbilt Wife and add the PERMALINK to your post, not your home page.