I've been thinking about this for a while and wanted to share a few experiences we have had lately. Two weeks ago we were having a grand old time with Ryan's family for a few days. I had made an appointment for Ryan to get his teeth cleaned at the dentist and the only time available was during this family reunion. Neither of us had had our teeth cleaned in about four years (gross, I know). After working at the dental school and seeing firsthand the questionable ethics of many of the students, a bad dental experience in Los Angeles, and then no money for dental insurance since we've been in Texas, the teeth cleanings have been on the back burner.
Anyway, I was in Utah and figured my dad could hook me up with a good ethical dentist who would charge reasonable rates or perhaps give a discount by trading some work with my dad. I got my teeth cleaned, hooray it was awesome! Now it was Ryan's turn since he had finally gotten into town. It was annoying that he had to leave the family reunion for a few hours but we figured that it wasn't too bad.
Ryan got his teeth cleaned in the morning and they wanted to fill a teensy tiny cavity. They didn't have time right then, but scheduled it for about an hour later. He ran some errands and then headed back to the office for round two. As Ryan was turning into the parking lot at the dentist's office the steering suddenly gave out on the car. The engine and everything was running fine, but he couldn't steer at all. The car had been in an accident two weeks earlier, but was supposedly repaired. Ryan called me, I called my dad who was at the cabin, and he called the garage where the car had been fixed.
It was decided that Ryan would go finish his dental appointment. After he was through, he needed to call AAA and they would tow him back to the garage in Bountiful. Then, our neighbor would pick him up and take him to the car rental place where he needed to show his ID in order to be placed on the insurance for the rental car. Finally, she would drive him back to our house in Centerville where he would pick up the rental car that was there and the drive back to his family reunion in Pleasant Grove.
Meanwhile, I started to get really annoyed. Why did this have to happen? Ryan was losing a whole day of hanging out with us and it was such an annoying trip for him to get the car back, etc. I was pretty negative. Then I started thinking about the positive. The steering went out in the car. That could have been so dangerous if he had been on the freeway or just on a regular street. Thankfully, he had just barely turned into the parking lot when it had happened. This was also the first time he had driven the car without the girls and me with him. Think how much more nightmarish if we had been in the car and been in a bad accident.
Finally, my parents had given Ryan a AAA membership for his last birthday. How nice that he had it so calling a tow truck was so easy. The mechanic shop had just had the car in so it was very easy to connect with them again when he dropped the car off there. And, since the car had so recently been repaired, my parents had left to the cabin without being able to return the rental car so it was sitting at our house ready to be used when we needed it.
This car problem could have been really bad. Instead, a mildly annoying thing was dealt with as smoothly as possible. It's been a good lesson to me to really think more about being grateful to Heavenly Father for our lives and the little things in them.
Yesterday we were just finishing dinner and Ryan and I were talking at the table. I was holding June and Willa had gotten up and was riding around the kitchen on her little trike with a doll saying, "Green light, go." It was just so pleasant. I felt so blessed for our little family. We're going through a bit of vacation depression as we struggle to get back in the swing of everything, but little moments like last night are so peaceful and special to me. Even unemployment has it's upside. I would never wish it on anyone, but it is so great to have Ryan home with me to help. It's going to be hard when he starts working again.
There's no real moral here except that I needed to acknowledge the blessings that we have been receiving lately. There are so many more, but these were notable ones recently.
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