On Moving

I wanted to jot down some of our many blessings (and "opportunities for grace," as I've decided to call the opposite of blessings) that happened in our whirlwind move this last week, just to remember. And, to have to look back and laugh over. I've found that some of the worst and most irksome situations to be right in the middle of, often make the best stories to laugh about, together, later on.

• Finding out less than 24 hours before the movers were scheduled to come that the agreed upon 10AM pickup time was now SIX AM - opportunity for grace.
• Last minute scramble resulting in a moving company that was much less shady, albeit more expensive, willing to come the following morning after 9AM - blessing!
• Finding out that our moving estimate of 469 cu. ft was in actually EIGHT HUNDRED cubic feet (ie. twice as much stuff = twice as much money) - opportunity for grace.
• Having other people pack a moving truck while we chased down the toddler - blessing!
• Having friends feed us dinner/give us a ride and family give us a bed the night before we flew out - blessing!
• Flying with one 16 mo. toddler, two mental case cats, 5 pieces of luggage, two carry-ons, a car-seat and a stroller and arriving in one piece - blessing!
• Finding out that the $200 cat flying fee didn't include an explanation of what consituted a suitable airplane cat carrier - opportunity for grace.
• Being told that they had no emergency carriers, and being sent to the next terminal, with baby, two cats and lots of luggage in tow, to search two luggage stores for such a carrier twenty minutes before boarding - opportunity for grace.
• Returning to ticket counter to friendly ticket agent who talked her nasty boss into giving us the emergency carrier that they did indeed HAVE (but which the nasty boss didn't want to part with and wanted to instead see how far we would go to get one) - blessing!
• Mentioning this being a military move, resulting in exorbitant luggage fees being refunded by above nice ticket agent - blessing!
• Having to take two very stressed out cats OUT of their carriers to go through security - opportunity for grace.
• No one throwing things at us or saying unkind things because of said toddler and cats on a 4.5 hour non-stop flight - blessing!
• Super nice lady sitting behind us who helped us carry the gate-checked carseat to the baggage claim - blessing!
• Finding out we didn't have enough cash to tip the porter who jumped on our bags before we could tell him no and having him refuse the amount of money we did have on us ($1.67), resulting in a mad dash by Mr. 2nd Lt. to the ATM with its crazy fees, while the rest of us waited on the rental car shuttle - opportunity for grace.
• Arriving safe and sound, with no incident, at MIL's that evening - blessing!

Thank you Lord for the graces that You have showered upon us and for the crosses that You have given us to help us grow closer to You.