So Saturday was a very long day, full of stress and too many things to do so we would be ready to drive away on Sunday. I was also running on very little sleep, and had been for weeks, what with all the trip planning, teaching final classes, and wrapping up the homeschool year--but this week in particular adrenaline and the long to-do list were keeping Mr. Incredible and me up very late most nights (like Thursday night when we were at the trailer until 3 a.m., me painting a second coat on the interior and him installing a hook rail). But we were also getting everything done that was absolutely necessary, and so that felt good--it is easier to push when a successful end goal is near.
By Saturday evening the beds were done and in place--it was time to load up the trailer! Because of bad rush-hour traffic between our home and the trailer storage site, we purposefully waited until evening to start transporting goods. I took the two younger kids on the first trip, and they helped me unload and settle stuff where it needed to be in the trailer. It was dark and getting late when we were done and heading home.
All was going well, except for one thing--in my tiredness I was not thinking as clearly as I should have been. So when I started that first evening drive up to Scott's Valley I noticed the gas was just above empty and thought to myself, oh! need to stop for gas on the way up. And then promptly got lost in thinking ahead on what was left to do that evening and in conversation with the kids. We got to the trailer and I saw the gauge again and thought, darn it! Can't believe I did that. Well, I will have to stop in SV before I get on the highway to head back home. And then, after working at the trailer with the kids, we headed home--and yep, in my mentally exhausted state I drove past all the gas stations again and once again didn't remember until I was already back in the driveway. Sigh.
So everybody helped load up the car again for the second and last trailer run of the night, and it was ready to head back around 10 p.m. The younger two kids were sent to bed and the older two were going with me to help unload. We have a gas station near our house, and by this time I was so disgusted with my brain for forgetting twice already that I was not in danger of forgetting again, esp. with teens to help me remember.
But when I went to start the car to head out. . . it would not start.
God, in His infinite mercy and goodness, had kept the car moving all the way on the highway, at night, with my two younger kids in the car with me. The car did not die until I was safely in my own driveway.
So, I was thanking the Lord for that--but now had a loaded vehicle that couldn't get anywhere. So I sent the two older kids to bed, and Mr. Incredible & I were able to roll the car back in the drive so he could get out another car to fetch emergency gas. He was understandably frustrated with me, but is a good Knight in Shining Armor, and didn't overly grumble.
But when we had some gas in the car, and turned the key in the ignition. . . the car would try, but not catch. It was making unhealthy noises. Mr. Incredible sighed and explained that it was bad to let a car get all the way to empty because then sediment in the bottom of the gas tank gets into the fuel lines. Which can be a big problem, and something extremely time-consuming and expensive to fix. Oh, no--did I just break the car the night before we are supposed to drive away on this trip, the one I've worked so hard to make happen for so many months? After all the obstacles we've worked through to get to this point, is this going to be what derails us? As you can imagine, I was mad at myself, and felt completely helpless. Whatever I had accidentally done, there was absolutely nothing I could do to fix it. All I could do was pray.
After sitting in the drive for several minutes the car finally started. Mr. I agreed to drive up to SV with me to help make sure I got there and back safely, and to help unload all the stuff. The car didn't sound good. It was a little rattly and the RPMs kept racing erratically. It was around midnight now, we were both pretty exhausted, and things were not looking encouraging, but we unloaded and settled things into the trailer. When got into the car to head home--the car started up just fine. As we drove . . . it sounded normal. I could not believe it. Did you really just do that, God? Wow, oh, wow. I don't deserve your love and goodness. But thank you. Thank you.
Next morning we loaded up the final load, packed up the kids, and headed up to do the last things, get hooked up, and head out. The car showed no difficulty. Disaster had been averted.
I realize that it would be easy to explain away these moments of "Divine Intervention" with saying, oh, it clearly wasn't as bad as you initially thought, that's all, or well, that was a fortunate coincidence. But I can't do that--not after all my life of seeing God at work around me. These kinds of miraculous moments happen all the time, and with too much consistency to be coincidence. I'm not saying things always work out my way--I'm saying that God has a way of showing me His provision, protection, grace, and lovingkindness in ways that I can't ignore. He is a good Father, and I am in awe that He loves me so personally. He is present. He is active. He is good. Always.
I realize most of you are coming here for the fun photos--but thanks for reading the backstory too. Because hopefully understanding all the obstacles and stress we were facing at the start of the trip will help you appreciate the amazing joy we felt at each new day and every fun family experience. The whole trip was in God's hands from the very beginning, and He blessed us over and over.
Now you might be able to feel the sense of victory, and thankfulness, and relief, when I took this pic right before driving away--it had taken so much to get us to this point, and ultimately it had been God who did it.
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