Vacation woes and God's traveling mercy

Today, Glenn and I (and Frankie) left for a short trip to Branson. We knew it would be a risk driving my 9-year-old car, but we couldn't justify, nor afford a rental. So we took the risk. Everything was going great. We stopped at the Osceola Cheese Factory, picked up some cherry white cheddar (some of the best cheese I've ever had, and I've had a lot of cheese!), and headed out for our last leg.

Just north of Springfield, about an hour and a half north of Branson, our car started sputtering. Thank GOD we were near an off ramp and we just made it off the highway on top of an overpass when the car died. We coasted to the side of the road.

Not long after a gentleman in a white truck and cowboy hat stopped to help us. He drove down the road to a repair shop and got their name and number. We called, but they were really busy and had no tow truck. Luckily I had renewed our AAA membership yesterday and was on the phone with them when the man offered to tow us a mile down the road to Bolivar, MO. The tow was an experience, for sure! We pulled into a repair shop and they said they could get us in in an hour or so.

We went back to the car to wait and I broke down. I cried and cried and Glenn prayed with me. I haven't been on vacation forever and this was not going to ruin it! Did I mention we have to entertain the dog this whole time? :)

About 20 minutes later they got our car in (much sooner than expected) and maybe 30 minutes later they told us the timing belt tensioner had broken. The part will not be here until tomorrow morning. The bill was going to be $275 and Glenn and I decided the best thing to do was get a hotel room for the night in Bolivar and head to Branson tomorrow. Not how I envisioned my vacation, but I'm trying to roll with it.

So we found a hotel (that took dogs for a reasonable price), unloaded our mounds of crap and called a taxi to take us there. After we got settled and ate some food, Glenn got a call on his cell phone. The man who gave us the tow was on the other end and told us he had paid our bill. HE PAID OUR CAR REPAIR BILL. We are needless to say in shock and in tears. This man was an angel for us today. All he said was that we should pay it forward. Believe you me we will. And after some detective work, we found his name and address and we will send him a thank you card with a picture from our vacation.

We felt today that things could have been a lot worse, but we were definitely not happy about it. Then God slaps us and says, "BE THANKFUL". I don't think we truly were.

So from our hole in Bolivar, we're doing good and are very thankful. Here's to happier times in Branson tomorrow!

Oh, and did I mention we saved $30 by staying here instead of Branson? :) So far this trip has made us money. HA!