Category: God’s Faithfulness

My youngest spent a college semester traveling through six countries.

After arriving in Athens, the study abroad group disbanded for an eight-day spring break. Students either flew home or were joined by family—too expensive for us.

After exploring numerous options, it became clear that my husband must join our son. How did we afford such a trip? I sold used, unwanted college textbooks on Amazon. In one day, I raised much of the $800+ airfare.

This “cheap” flight had an Amsterdam layover and arrived hours after my son. For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to book it. Perhaps, I hoped for price drop? And then, I forgot.

I remembered the Thursday of the historic landing of a US Airways plane in the Hudson River—fourteen years ago today. Travelers briefly became wary of New York City departures. My coveted, nonstop flight from New York City plummeted to $600. I snatched it.

My son emailed “How will I find Dad?”

“He will be waiting at your airport exit gate.”

“Wonderful.”

One evening, I received a call from a special cousin. “The cancer is in my spinal fluid,” she said. “I’ve been given four to eight weeks.”

“Would you like me to come?”

“I would love to see your face one more time.”

There were blessings each day of my journey. However, I especially wanted one—a last photo with Cheryl. When and how should I ask? I didn’t want tears or forced, false cheerfulness.

My last evening, we stopped at Buc-ees for beef jerky. The Texas icon is not quickly described. All that is important is that the mascot is Buc-ee the Beaver, and Cheryl and I thoroughly enjoyed romping through the massive convenience store examining—and sometimes playing with—the merchandise.

Before we left, I asked Cheryl’s husband to snap a photo of me with Buc-ee’s statue. (Such photos are a family tradition.) Cheryl quickly and unexpectedly hopped out of the car and joined me.

I had my photo. A moment of silliness, not sadness. A fitting memory of a woman who loved playing jokes and making people laugh.

“To begin, the car next door needs to go. It will deter a buyer,” our realtor explained.

“We bought the house,” said my husband.

“No one else will. This is a buyer’s market.”

The car in question was on blocks and sat outside our master bedroom window. Our neighbor—being the good sister that she was—had allowed her brother to tow it to her yard when his wife said the relic had to be removed. The wife had given up on her husband restoring it.

What to do? We liked our neighbor and didn’t want to offend her. The car wasn’t against any city code. Not only did it not bother us, I also had fond memories of my middle son standing at the window and gazing at the car.

So, we did nothing and trusted that God would allow our house to sell with the eyesore. A couple of weeks later, two men towed the car away. Our neighbor said they had knocked on her door and offered to clean her yard in exchange for the car.