A 2+ Ton Birthday Surprise
Day 234 of Photo Inspirations — A 2+ Ton Birthday Surprise!!
Five years ago today, I and my sweet husband, who had just been in the hospital for several days, were getting to go home. It was my birthday and it would be my sweetheart’s birthday in two weeks. Lots of reasons to celebrate. He made it through 5 surgeries and lots of complications, but this day he was still here to celebrate another one of my birthdays and here to celebrate another one of his birthdays. God was so good to us. We knew that a little birthday/coming home party awaited us at home. Ron’s sister and brother-in-law and our dearest friends, “The Michie’s”, had dinner and the party waiting for us there. But we weren’t aware of the 2+ ton gift that awaited us.
We packed up everything out of the hospital room and we headed out of the hospital — the nurse wheeled Ron down to the vehicle waiting area where we thought Ron’s sister and brother-in-law were picking us up. But what to our wandering eyes should appear but a gorgeous silver Buick Enclave – with a big red bow on top. It was a magnanimous birthday gift for both of us from Ryan and Shawntel. We were overwhelmed to say the least. It was our dream-come-true car and it was incomprehensible that a gift of this magnitude was given to us by our kids. I can’t begin to explain how, even though my sweetheart could not drive then because of the high dosage of pain meds, he could sure sit in the driver’s seat and play with all the incredible high tech “bells and whistles” of the car. Of all the surgeries, treatments, and other intervention methods to bring him to a place of comfort during the last 8 months, there was none like the mental and emotional therapy he received with this gift. No words could have adequately expressed our gratitude.
As I’ve stated many times over, our faith ALWAYS said, “Nothing is impossible with God”. We fully expected that his healing would come and he’d be able to drive that car everywhere. We just believed he would. But, he drove it only one time before his graduation to heaven.
That time was when I needed to run into the grocery store for a few items. He waited in the car for me. As I was checking out my groceries, I received a phone call from him. He said, “What are you doing?” I said, “I’m just checking out!” He said, “I just wanted you to know I’m driving around the parking lot and I’ll pick you up at the South door.” He had always been the best of drivers, but I gulped because he hadn’t been able to drive for obvious reasons, but this day, God protected him and everybody else in that parking lot so that he could have one chance to drive his dream car. It was so precious. My BOY had a new TOY — and he LOVED it.
A few months ago, when I was at the 62,000 mile warranty expiration on the car, I called Ryan and asked his opinion about me buying an Extended Warranty. He said, “We may need to consider trading it in on a new car!” And to that, I said, “Oh no – that car will continue with me as long as it can. There are just too many sweet memories of dreams coming true and Dad’s joy attached to it.” I bought the Extended Warranty.
On this day, I’m celebrating another year of God’s blessings to me. I’m still here so I’m not done. My sweet ride, “Silver”, is still here so it’s not done either. We have lots of assignments to take care of…..and we’ll continue to go many more miles on this amazing journey toward heaven…..and, might I add…..the journey gets sweeter and sweeter every day!