119,000 Miles

Today, after having coffee with a good friend, I decided that I want to start writing more. And I figured, here is a good place for a couple reasons. 

1) I might be more inclined to type on the keyboard rather than writing with pen and paper (writing with pen makes my hand cramp up, big time. Something I will continue to pray that God heals- the bad side effect from 10 years of hairdressing.). 

2) I continue to realize how much of an external processor I really am. So, if I am not processing life things, externally, in some way, then it usually is not getting processed at all. So rather than feel bad for not spending time journaling with pen and paper, I will write things out on here- sort of like a journal but just not QUITE as vulnerable as I would write when I'm writing in my ACTUAL journal. :) **WARNING** I will be pretty open and honest though- so if you ever find yourself feeling offended by what I've said, just remember, it's just my thoughts and my opinions and I am processing as I type......Plus, no one is making you read it. ;)

3) Maybe, as I talk about life and process different things, it might be an encouragement or help to others who read it. And I also like to be lighthearted and make people laugh! Laughter is good medicine for the soul! SO, may this also be a place where others can come and not only get some encouragement, but also get some good laughing in! :)

I figure, even if no one really reads much of this blog, it's still not a loss. It is a gain because I will be doing something that I know is good for my soul! :)

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So, tonight I was driving home and noticed my odometer. It was about to roll over to 119,000. A few days ago I had noticed that it was close and I made a mental note to watch for when it happened. Well, the mental note didn't stick around (should have made a 'post-it' mental note) and I forgot all about it. Until I glanced down at it tonight. YAY! I think it was a God thing because I got to watch it actually flip over to 119,000 as I drove! Yes, I was watching the road too- I'm a good driver! :) And as I watched it flip over I remembered that when I bought this car, it was a year old and had 19,000 miles on it. That means that I have used it to drive 100,000 miles!! And I have done most of that driving!! WOW! That's a lot of miles! :) And I started thinking about where all this beloved car has been. (She's affectionately called "The Golden Bullet" by some.) :)

A few places I can recall:

All over Indiana and southern Michigan

Chicago- MANY glorious times!

Ohio

Kentucky- one time in 90 degrees and 150% humidity!! ICK!

Pennsylvania

Kansas- For my high school bff's wedding and THE most and strongest wind I think I have EVER experienced in my life! And I love the city nicknamed "The Windy City"! :)  (tidbit: do you know the real reason Chicago is nicknamed that? It's actually NOT because of the weather....)

Colorado- This was probably the first time she's seen BIG mountains! And at first, she did NOT want to climb them! Instead, she practically left me stranded on the 5 lane highway! Yup! Many mechanics and Hyundai dealerships later, no one knew what it was except that she has always been accustomed to the altitude in Indiana and so didn't know what to do with it all. Now I know, if you shut it off, and then re-start it, the O2 sensor should be right with the new altitude. Knowing that then could have saved a lot of frustration and even tears! :) It happened once when we were traveling from Colorado down to New Mexico. I had never been and was super stoked! But because we didn't know what the problem was and didn't want to be stranded as we drove over this big pass, we turned around. So close!

Nebraska- (nothing there but flat highway!)

I'm pretty sure Canada (eh?)

Quite a few airports!

Iowa (again, is there anything there but flat??) :)

South Dakota- she saw the heads of those president guys! ;)

Wyoming- the place I've dreamed about living and owning a working cattle ranch

Montana- she traveled up and down the mountainside in Glacier National Park and saw wildlife not found in Indiana!

Idaho- way more gorgeous than I realized!

Washington- she's even been to the Pike Place Market in Seattle. The first Starbucks too!

Oregon- Crater Lake and waterfalls like none other!

And ALL over Northern California!

The Golden Bullet has had many many friends and family ride in her! New friends, old friends, acquaintances and even strangers. Many good laughs and even quite a few good crys! Many coffees and sodas and road trip snacks! Her radio has been BLARED so often and her traveling companions belt out the words! (I am actually so impressed with how well the speakers have held up!) Every kind of music imaginable has come from those speakers! She's even seen 2 cops. But only 1 ticket. :) Many restaurants and coffee shops. Even many trips with beautiful little kids! From the 5 boys I used to babysit every Friday, to my sweet baby nieces! She was a car that had permanent car seats, even though I don't yet have my own kids. She's often had emergency beach accessories in her trunk because you never know when you're gonna need a beach towel or chair! :) Lots of snow and lots of sun! She's been a lot of places and experienced a lot of good things! I have been a lot of places and experienced a lot of good things! Looking back over the last 100,000 miles I realize that God has been so good and so faithful to me and most of my life I wouldn't trade! In fact, I'd love to do a lot of it over again! :)

So, here's to 2014 and the next 100,000 miles! Where they will take me, only Jesus knows! *but I hope it includes Southern California, New Mexico, more trips to the beach and a lot more time spent with people I love!*