At 7:45 Tuesday morning I was awaken by a horrible beeping sound.  Andrew was at a men's prayer breakfast and Albany was still asleep.  It took me a minute or so to realize it wasn't the alarm clock I was dreaming about, but instead our fire alarm/carbon monoxide detector.  I stumbled into the hall sure that the battery was almost dead, but as I was pushing the silence button, I noticed that the low battery light wasn't lit nor was the alarm stopping as I hit the button.  However, the carbon monoxide light was flashing.  I called Andrew, but the cell phone rang in the house.  So I called my pastor, but he'd already left the breakfast.  So I called our youth minister, who happened to be standing with Andrew.  He immediately headed home and I scooped up Albany and we waited on the front porch in our jammies for Andrew to get home. 

Not wanting to poison our cats, Andrew ran in and opened the windows and the doors.  He changed out the battery and the alarm stopped.  Not feeling super relaxed, we called the fire department, which is when we learned the first mistake we had made—opening the windows and doors.  They told us if the alarm ever went off again to immediately evacuate and call them.  They couldn't pick up a reading, but told us to be on the safe side to call our gas company.  ONG came out immediately!  Our heater and detector by our bedrooms are on almost opposite sides of the house.  They couldn't get a reading down by our bedrooms, but when he got out by our heating unit, the sensor immediately began picking up a reading.  Sure enough, the top of our heater was corroded and leaking carbon monoxide!  Our landlord had a new heater put in yesterday so we're nice and toasty and thanking God that the alarm worked right and that the leak was caught in enough time that we are all okay!

If you have natural gas, I just want to encourage you to get a carbon monoxide detector.  You can get one at Wal-mart or Target for $20-$30.  If it saves your life it's totally worth it!!!  Andrew's parents gave us ours for Christmas a couple of years ago and I can honestly say it is the best gift they ever gave us! 

Thankful to be alive (and nice & warm)!

~Jaimie