Yesterday was an adventure. That’s putting in lightly. It started out a gorgeous, beautiful day for Justin and I to head down to Busch Gardens… do the Halloween thing. We started with waffles and 90s music. Enjoying laughter, rain, popcorn, the front row of every roller coaster… and garlic bread.
It was one of those days you didn’t want to end because of how great things were going, literally not one bad thing happened (seriously.. even if I was soaked all day)! I remember standing in line waiting for the front row of The Griffin (probably the fourth or fifth time). I asked Justin “What was your high/low today?” The high made me smile, and the low made me smile bigger– there wasn’t one.
It literally had been a perfect day… and it was time to head home. Justin was driving, and we were SO looking forward to Cherry Limeade at Sonic. I had to go to the bathroom but thought I would wait until we made it to Fredricksburg. Listening to music loud and free, singing to songs that I would never do with anyone else, and then, hearing this airplane sound… a little strange being we were DRIVING… on 95.
Then, Justin turned the radio down. There was a smell, like burning rubber, and a clanking, rotating sound. We jumped out of the car, ran around thinking it was a flat… indeed it was NOT! Never thought I’d actually wish it had been just a flat.
I called my dad. Mom answered, and somehow she always knows when something is wrong. “Are you okay? Is Justin okay?” It’s the love and concern in her voice that calms me down, and at the same time stresses me out… Still, don’t know what I’d do without her sometimes.
I became so unsettled, stressed, wanting to know what was wrong… and without my friend close by (not like he had a choice), I probably would have fallen apart, freaked out, bawled my eyes out in fear…. or something.
We waited an hour for the tow truck that Dad told us to call.. and in doing so, I thought to myself the many things that would have been helpful to have:
- food- we were pretty HUNGRY..and that Cherry Limeade was now just a dream
- blankets- I was pretty cold
- iPad- we were bored (and Dumb and Dumber on a small iPhone screen wasn’t nearly as enjoyable).
- toilet paper- enough said.
As stupid as it may sound, it was a glimpse at homelessness. I didn’t think it then, but I think it now. And it makes me thankful for the things I did have.
These were the things I was SO glad to have, the things I felt I couldn’t have done without (and now probably wouldn’t want to do without):
- God’s protection
- a cell phone
- Geico Insurance (that has saved me so much more than 15%)
- a warranty
- a brother twenty minutes away
- Justin
- My mom and dad.
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It could have been a lot worse. But it wasn’t. It was just an adventure..and perhaps a new low of the day. It’s a story, one to tell with our metro ride stories. It’s one that makes us roll our eyes, and then smile. For Lord, Your protection and blessings, they comfort me.
