When In Vegas

This weekend DJ and I traveled to Vegas. We had been planning this trip for some time, since my brother and sister-in-law had offered to give us some furniture that they were getting rid of. It was a sweet deal, we just had to drive out, with a vehicle that had enough capacity to hold the furniture, and drive back.

But, DJ and I hadn't expected that we wouldn't be able to borrow our friend's truck, or that U-Haul vehicles are mad expensive (think $1 a mile plus all the other expenses). It seemed nearly impossible, until the U-Haul guy located near us was nice enough to let us in on a secret, if we just bought a hitch we could rent a little U-Haul cart for twenty bucks. We were thrilled, however we realized we'd need another week to install the hitch and plan it out. 

So this weekend, we went. And things did not go as planned.

For one thing, it turns out we needed more than just a hitch, electrical re-wiring, the ball to attach the cart, and another connecter piece was needed. And, to make matters worse the electrical re-wiring could only be done for another fee at the U-Haul place, or we'd have to install it ourselves. And the connecter pieces at the store didn't fit our hitch.

Not only that, but I finally realized why Dj didn't want to make this trip... because it was such a hassle! Driving 3.5hrs to Vegas, on some windy, hilly roads with furniture attached to whatever vehicle, was going to be a rough, intense drive. The trip just wasn't worth it.

But, we couldn't give up now. We were both already on board with the plan, and already in Vegas. So we did something, we didn't think was possible. We managed to secure the entire bed frame to our Chevy Tracker. With the headboard riding on top, and the side boards riding in between DJ and I in the front seat. 

With my brother's help we made it all fit. And it was a miracle. 

However, the trip back proved to be a lot harder than expected. Not to mention I got a call from my sister-in-law after 45min into the trip saying that I had left my purse. It honestly just wasn't my day.

How had this trip turned into such a nightmare? Of course, the day we left was one of the windiest days in Vegas. Somehow, one of the pieces of the bed frame was vibrating along with the wind hitting our car, making a loud rattling noise. So loud, Dj and I had to yell at each other over the sound.

"HEY! THERE ARE FRIES! DID YOU WANT SOME?"

"WHAT?"

"FRIES! WE HAVE FRIES!" 

And imagine, how the rest of the conversation went, not to mention we couldn't see each other's faces without ducking below or peeking above the sideboard that was shoved between us. 

So, my purse is left in Vegas, it's an even more dangerous trip from the wind, the loud rattling sound was happening, and of course it started to rain and the straps, holding the headboard to the car were making funky noises.

We pulled over, only 30 miles from California, and Dj got out of the car and wove a yellow rope, my brother had given us 'just in case' we needed it, through the headboard. It would have been fine; except the wind was so strong his shirt was whipping around his face and the rope along with it. Somehow, my husband managed to have enough patience to re-string another rope in the windy, cold night. He didn't complain, and he never once told me throughout the whole trip, 'I told you so.' He just rolled with the whole crazy day, from the bad news about the hitch, to the loud rattling sound, to me leaving my purse. We were both under so much stress. I was so nervous; I didn't know how we'd ever get back to our house in the windy weather, especially with the loud rattling noise. 

Finally, I was so overwhelmed with the whole trip that I asked Dj to pray with me. We both prayed for our trip and thanked God for my brother David and sister-in-law Sosa. Around twenty minutes later, the loud, gut-wrenching rattling sound stopped. And we were left to continue our trip in peace. I know that the sound was propelled by the wind, and it wasn't lost on me that when we entered California the wind wasn't as strong. But, I also know that the Creator of the universe has complete control over the wind (Mark 4:39-41).

The rest of the drive we shared sweet memories of each other from when we were just friends, and then memories of when we fell in love. And now, this drive back from Vegas is one of my sweetest memories of marriage. We have both grown so much in (almost) two months. We have learned to be patient, to listen and to communicate. And we have learned how to give grace even in times of stress. To give thanks, even in harsh, impossible winds, and to rest in peace, on long drives in the desert, with a sky full of stars guiding us and the only other lights shining in the distance, reminding me that, " a city on a hill cannot be hidden."