It's All The Way You Look At It...

Well, yesterday was rather eventful... at least the morning. Let me back up, the night before I received a phone call from Melissa wanting to know if I had heard about the sewing group for Tuesday morning. I hadn't, so she told me that it was really to see what kind of interest there was. And, she had some more stuff to make more aprons (like the ones she and I made back when Savannah first started school a couple years ago). I was excited to go and help, although skeptical about my kids.

Tuesday morning started out okay...cold, but okay. The kids seemed to be helpful and responsive.. until it was time to get ready to go. Since my cell phone has been lost of many, many months now, and since I had been out on Monday in the mess, I finally bought a new one and was trying to transfer over the units from the old phone before leaving. I just felt like I needed to do that... so I did. Which put us behind by about half an hour. That was increased by kids who were off in their own worlds while trying to actually get out the door.

Well, the ride ended just over half way to our destination. Suddenly, the driver's side front wheel locked up. Over the course of the winter I'd heard some grinding like sounds off and on, but always when the roads were snowy. Sunday Bob thought it had locked up on our way to church. But with the roads being messy and all, he got out, kicked off the snow build up and we didn't have any more trouble. I drove it in the mess on Monday and no problems.

Five times in the space of about 3 or 4 miles I had to stop because it was locking up on Tuesday. I would get out and try to kick off the snow. Of course, the roads had little snow at all on them and so there wasn't much to "kick off". The fifth time there wasn't anything to kick off. There was no way it was snow!

So, here I am with my cell phone, but no phone numbers, and three of my kids with me away from any house or anything else. I did happen to remember Melissa's cell phone number and called her, since I obviously wasn't going to make it into town. She got me my mechanic's number, but I couldn't get through. I called AAA, made the arrangements, and then called Melissa again and she came and got me and the kids and took us home.

Thanks, Melissa, for doing that! And thanks, Marie, for taking her kids so she could!

The car wasn't picked up until 2 hours and 45 minutes after the initial call... glad I didn't wait around. But it's at the shop, and hopefully we'll have it back in time for Dance and Church this weekend. If not, there are plenty of things to get done around the house.

After getting through the emotional shock that comes from realizing you're stranded, I realized just how fortunate we really were:

1. It could have happened Sunday. That was a day no one who didn't need to be on the roads should have been. And we were going the opposite direction of our mechanic. Plus, can you imagine having to walk four kids in that mess?

2. It could have happened on Monday, when I has alone with the kids and the roads were a mess.

3. Had it happened either of those days, we probably would have had some serious damage to the van... when the wheel locked up, the van started pulling. In messy conditions, that means loosing control. Tuesday the roads were fine and I was able to manage the van safely to the side of the road.

4. Melissa was able to come get us. Had no one known we were out and about, I'm not sure if anyone else would have been around to come and get us! (Being the first nice-ish day in a while)

5. I might not have had the cell phone (good thing I followed that prompting), and then I would have been on a major state road, with below freezing temps and winds, with three little ones trying to get some place to make a phone call.

When looked at it from these five points, crying didn't make sense. I was actually rejoicing! Once again, the Lord kept us safe and provided for us. I have much to be grateful for!