Normally, Karl and I try to find remote, deserted roads to explore on our four-wheelers. We enjoy the adventure, the challenge, and the thrill of ‘discovering’ something new. We’d been in Arizona since the end of December, and enjoyed several really fun rides in the desert. But, this week, we took a whole new kind of ride and had a new kind of adventure. The road? The streets of Flagstaff, Arizona.
It all started when the truck began making strange noises about ten miles from Flagstaff (on our way home). We ended up at a mechanic’s shop about a mile and a half from where we found to park the trailers. Hence, the need for riding our quads on city, traffic filled streets.
I’m thankful we had them – it would have been a long, cold walk back to the RV after leaving the truck at the shop, but grateful doesn’t always mean happy. I think. Maybe.
According to Merriam-Webster online, synonyms for thankful include delighted, glad, joyful, pleased, satisfied. I beg to differ. I know in my soul that there are times that I am truly thankful but far from joyful. I can be grateful (that the truck got us to the mechanic’s shop in Flagstaff), and still be disheartened (a Merriam-Webster antonym for thankful) at the same time. I wasn’t pleased or satisfied wrapped up in my coat waiting at a stoplight sandwiched between cars and trucks much bigger and beefier than my little machine. I was, in fact nervous and worried. But also thankful. Thankful for the machine itself, thankful for the money to pay the repair bill, thankful for a husband who knew what to do and did it.
The saga of our ‘broke-down’ truck doesn’t stop in Flagstaff. We thought it was fixed but continued to have problems and breakdowns until finally tow trucks (yes, trucks!) had to be called near Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is where they currently are patiently waiting for the mechanic’s magic to replace even more parts and once again assure us that the truck is ‘fixed’.
I can make a long list of praises in this very long and trying week. For Karl who always, always, always knows what to do and listens to suggestions I make as well. For safety on the side of the highway when cars were zipping within feet of us as we lay under the truck to make provisional repairs. For a tow bill that wasn’t as bad as I’d feared. For friends who texted, and called, and offered help, and checked on us. For mechanic’s shops who worked as quickly and as best they knew how and who (in Santa Fe) have allowed us to live in our trailer in their yard while we wait for parts. Yes. I am indeed thankful. But. I am not joyful. Not cheerful. Not gladsome. My stomach hurts and I’m a little (lot) worried that when they ‘fix’ it this time and we start out anew for home that we will once again end up stranded on the highway. Maybe the bottom line for me is that I know that eventually, this too shall pass. I also know that the bills and stress of this week are small in the grand scheme of things. God is good ALL the time.
