Double Whammy

As you read, Tuesday was a rough day for me. I couldn't believe it when a second whammy hit me that day. I didn't want to overwhelm any blog readers by putting it all out there in one day and so I saved this one to share today.

I posted that I couldn't even be home when Clayne came home to get Sophie to take her to the vet on Tuesday and so I decided to go and visit a friend who happens to live up in Quail Ridge. (which is up on a hill) When it was time to go home so I could get Savannah fed and on the bus for school, I thought my steering felt tight but figured that I would just get home and then be sure to have Clayne look at it later. I got down 21st street about half way and there were some Qwest trucks doing some work on the side of the road. They were a bit in my lane and so I needed to go over a bit into the oncoming lane. As you know the roads are not well maintained on the outskirts of town (heck even sometimes in town.) The roads had deep ruts of ice and packed snow which when I tried to move over made it impossible for me to control my van. I slid and couldn't correct it with my steering problem. I did a 180 degree turn and found myself lodged into the snowbank on the other side of the road. I was only a few feet from a telephone pole and was so glad that I didn't hit it, a fence, or any other vehicles. If anyone had been coming in my path just then, I would have certainly hit them. It was very scary.

I got out on my shaking knees and was looking quite forlorn I'm sure. A nice man stopped and helped me. He was so prepared. He had a shovel which he used to dig some of the snow away and then he hitched a chain that he had with him to my van and pulled me back up onto the road. I then drove the van to the shoulder of the road. It was soooo hard to turn the wheel. I could hardly even steer it. He took a look under the van and said that a belt was dragging and said that he'd be happy to give me and Savannah a ride home. When we got into his truck, I found that he had his little 1 year old baby with him this whole time he was helping me. Heavenly Father certainly was looking out for me to send this super nice guy along to help me. I feel bad that in my state of mind I did not get his name so that I could take him a loaf of bread or something. I did thank him, but somehow that doesn't seem like enough.

I was able to hold it together until I got Savannah on the bus and then I just sat down and had a good cry for about an hour. I am not the kind of person who cried easily or often so this was a major break down for me. I just was so overwhelmed with the grief of loosing our dog and then the trauma of the accident.

Later Clayne towed me in the van to the shop. As I said, there was not any body damage to the van for which I am so grateful. Now I do not think or speak like a mechanic but it was something like a tension pulley that held the steering belt on that had given way and then the belt fell off. This could have been so much worse if it had happened somewhere else. I am counting this as one of Heavenly Father's tender mercies in my life. The repair was only $140 and we already have the van back.

Later when Savannah overheard me say what a hard day I had just had she simply said, "A perfect day depends on you." That is word for word what she said. There is such wisdom in that and it astounds me that a 5 year old would say that. Out of the mouths of babes. She certainly is wise and very old for her age. I will carry that quote in my heart for always because it is true. Even when life is hard, it is what you do with it that counts. It is up to you to make a day be a good one. So here's to perfect days. Thanks for a listening ear... again.