One Word For 2014: Turbulent.

My one word for 2014:  turbulent. 

The year started off great then took a turbulent turn during my summer vacation.  

The trip was planned as a fast paced finish of the western half of Route 66, driving up the coast, hitting Canada, and looping back through Colorado. All my activities were pet-friendly (including participating in the Ugly Dog Contest--which we planned to lose because, face it, Bandit is just too darn handsome to win it!). 

Everything looked great.  My mostly fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants trip planning worked perfectly.  (I only made reservations at The Flamingo for the night of the Donny and Marie Show, and San Francisco--close to the Ugly Dog Contest--every other reservation was made the night before, or the day of and was dependent upon the distance I felt I could drive.)

Until the tumble I took at the Flamingo slowed my fast-paced vacation to a more manageable pace, and I gave up the idea of catching up with a couple of friends while I was in California--sorry Debby and Des--maybe next trip 

I made a last minute decision to spend a few days at my Aunt Margie's cabin on the lake in Oregon rather than continuing up the coast and crossing into Canada. While I was there I started questioning my normal vacation mode--go, go, go--pack in way too many activities, and roll into my driveway the morning of my return to work. I decided that was too stressful and counterproductive. I had envisioned a smaller cabin in the mountains on a river or lake (but in Maine) as my retirement home. I decided what I really want to do is buy an RV and travel--but at a much more relaxed pace. Maybe I can still have that cabin as a home base.   

After I slowed the pace down I also got waylaid in a small Nevada town when my steering went out. But God saw me through and directed my path to  an honest mechanic within walking distance of a pet-friendly hotel, bookstore, museum, park, grocery store and several other shops making my forced pedi-life bearable. And when the tire blew on the interstate the day I got back on the road, He sent a nice young man to change my tire and compelled several guys to stay late at the Utah WalMart to sell and mount my new tire. 

While I thought GPS-girl routing me up through Wyoming on my way to Colorado was a bit much, it did keep me on a populated interstate, which gave me peace of mind on the drive to Colorado. And I found a great blanket inspired jacket that total strangers stop me and ask me about. Who knew I'd become a fashion guru?!

And who knew I would have trouble with cell phone service in Colorado Springs?  But God directed me to the Focus on the Family  campus and welcome center, where I could make a telephone call to locate Kaitlin. And send a text to my Mama so she wouldn't worry. I never found service until I returned to Texas soil. 

And He directed me to another pet-friendly hotel in some tiny Texas town--to the last available room even though I arrived late at night without a reservation--after the town I had just passed through had evacuated because of a broken water main. 

Even though the 2-week trip was fraught with obstacles, it was one of my most relaxing!  

I returned to work refreshed and with a resolve to save in earnest for a nice retirement RV, and learn more about the RV life. 

And then the year took a turn for the worse. 

Daddy became ill, left the hospital too soon, and fell. My weekend trip to assess the situation turned into a month-long stay due to his readmission, and ultimate placement into Hospice, that preceded my own emergency surgery and recovery at Mamas house. Which, as bad as it seemed at the time, was a blessing, as it ensured I was there to visit with Daddy prior to his death and take care of the funeral.  

During that dark time, I found out how special my friends really are:  Sharry and Georgie for being in my hospital room almost before I arrived. Sharry, Georgie, and Betsy driving to Mamas to check on me. Georgie and Betsy driving back yet again to attend the funeral. Shelia for spoiling Bandit while I was hospitalized.  Teresa for meeting up with me just to catch up on old times. While each of these wonderful friends drove hours out of their way to minister to me, Linda and Vickie  won the driving award hands down when they drove to Florida in order to drive me home to Central Texas! 

Except for some major Family Drama that blindsided me, I thought life was getting back on track. 

Boy was I wrong! 

November saw me in a loaner the entire month as the repairs  on my Mariner mounted higher and higher.  But God is good, and through a month-long process that at times was mentally exhausting, has brought me a new home for my UMHB antenna-ball:  a 2015 Ford Escape (the same thing as my beloved Mercury Mariner--which has served me well for the past 6 years and over 232,000 miles! 

The last half of the year has been turbulent. But it has also served to be a reminder of Gods watch care over me--for which I am thankful. 

Thankful. Perhaps I should change my "one word" from turbulent to thankful. 

May 2015 find me even more thankful. And less turbulent.  

#ThinkKit

This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox.  Today's prompt: "One word for 2014."