When it rains...

...it pours.

I don't know what it is, but I believe there is a curse on my family when
it comes to visiting the in-laws at Christmas. Something happens EVERY time
we try.

Two years ago? Hit an ice storm and barely skidded into a hotel to spend
the night. That same year, once we got there, the stomach virus (yes, THAT
one) hit us all, one by one, effectively wiping out Christmas. And I got
the bug the day we left. Made for a pleasant trip home.

A few years before that, another ice storm hit my in-laws' place and we
were stuck with no electricity, heat, or running water for EIGHT DAYS.

Well, Fate didn't want to be left out this year. We have had more trouble
with our van this year. Took it in two weeks ago to have a grand's worth of
work done, including a water pump. Turns out the water pump was defective
so it was BACK in the shop to get that replaced.

Thought everything was fine.

Headed out for the in-laws.

Two hours into the trip.

Loud grinding sound under the hood.

Pulled into a convenience store/garage to look at it, and smoke started
coming out.

Here we go again.

Luckily, we were in Birmingham at the time. Our brother-in-law lives here
having just got a new job here in town (his hometown). He picks us up and
let's us crash at his house for the night.

A plan is formulated.

I'll meet the mechanic first thing in the morning to start getting the van
looked at. Now, we no longer trust the van, so no matter what the outcome,
I ain't driving that hunk of junk to Oklahoma. So, I call my dad, and he's
going to go to my house, get my spare truck keys, and head up here to bring
my truck. My sister was going to follow him up so he could ride back with
her.

The best laid plans...

My spare house key is in the garage, and the garage door is never locked.

Until today.

One of the boys must have locked it. He calls and I say, "Just break the
window to get in the garage." He calls me back. "Sean," he says, "this is
plexiglass. I can't get it to break."

So the plan now is this: He is going to drive 2 hours to get me, we are
going to drive 2 hours back home so I can get the truck, and then I will
drive 2 hours back to get Kelly and the boys to head to Oklahoma.

So basically, 18 hours later, we will be heading to Oklahoma in the truck.

Which is what I wanted to do in the first place.

Still, with all this, there are things to thank God for:

--we're all safe and okay
--this happened only 2 hours into the trip, in Birmingham, in a populated
area, right next to a service station
--our brother-in-law and his dad live here, so we had a safe place to stay
for free
--I have family willing to drive 4 hours when they need to be at work just
to bring me home

So, in all, all this is small stuff in the grand scheme of things and we
should laugh about it.

Which is why I am blogging about this from my phone as I sit and wait for
my dad to pick me up.

And so I don't curl up in a fetal position and just sob uncontrollably.

Merry Christmas!