Out with the old and in with the new?

I have heard that saying before but have never thought much about it until this December. Starting from the first weekend of December, something has broken at our house. Not just a towel rack or snow shovel but BIG important items. Let me start with the sliding glass door that Tornado Tim broke on Bella's blessing day. (look at previous blogs). We were getting ready to replace the door when the water heater went out. Not good. It was the coldest weekend of the year and we had no hot water.
You are now looking at a new and expensive gas valve and a new thermocouple. (a new big word I learned from the repair man) I do not like cold water. I do not like it camping. I do not like it in a pool on a hot day. I do not like to drink cold water, so going without hot water for 4 days was terrible. I had to shower at the neighbors house which has glass shower doors (very weird when you are used to a dark shower curtain) and take my kid's to different friends to bathe. The kids loved the "pioneer" experience, not mom.
The next thing to break was the microwave. Back when we blessed Bella my sister in law mentioned that our microwave didn't heat things up very well. I thought she was just rubbing in the fact that she had a new 2008, sleek black sensor cooking microhood. Wrong. Our poor microwave pooped out on Christmas eve as I was trying to make hot cocoa for Santa. I seriously couldn't believe it. What is going on in our house, and on Christmas. Isn't there some rule in the universe that says only good comes on Christmas eve? Well there we were, no hot cocoa for Santa, Guy couldn't have his microwave popcorn, and the kids couldn't get their rice bags heated to warm up their beds. I was really starting to feel picked on.
This is the "old' microwave.

This is our "new" microwave. Thanks Bairs for keeping your first microwave. (Yes it looks like it is a sleek black model, that is just the front door. The rest is covered with vinyl wood stickering) It doesn't look like much and it doesn't have a nightlight, and it doesn't have a fan, but it cooks!!
The next thing to go happened just before the new year. Guy took the cars in to have them inspected and get 2009 stickers. Harmless you would think. NOT. He comes home to tell me that my van needs a new front tie rod end. A what? His car only needs new brakes and a new tire. I took a picture of a front tie rod for those of you who don't know car parts.
Yes the picture is blurry, it's because I was under the car!! Anyway I was feeling very overwhelmed. I went to church today feeling hole in our wallet and a little blue until I heard my friend say her child broke his jaw and her husband was in a wreck over the holidays. I decided then and there that I can handle my "broken " house and that I am grateful for all that I have.