We were moving from Maryland to Ohio. Sabe is in the van with the girls and the dogs while I am behind her driving the moving truck. The right-hand rear-view mirror will not stay in place. I am unable to see if it is safe to move right. Sabe is checking that for me and signaling me as to when I can move over.
We've made it all the way to Ohio and are going around Columbus. We will exit on 33 west. We happen to be on the phone with each other. I notice the next exit is 33 west and it is coming up now. I say, "Here it is!" and move onto the off ramp. Sabe says, "It's too soon!" and drives past the exit. It is too late for me to get back on the highway so off I go. Sabe takes the next exit which is 33 east. As we move in opposite directions Sabe tells me why this is not when we wanted to get off and that I'd have to go all the way through Columbus to be where I want to be. She wants me to turn around and get back on the highway. I do not want to turn around. The truck is big and hard to maneuver. I decide I will call Niel as he used to live in Columbus.
Niel tells me to turn around. So I go off on a side street and attempt to turn around at a crossroad. After getting out of the truck several times to check that I wasn't about to run into any trees or mailboxes or the car that was waiting patiently for me to move, I succeed. I head back to the highway.
As soon as I am on I call Sabe. "Where are you?" I ask, thinking she might be almost back to 270. As I talk I notice a van about six car lengths ahead. It has all kinds of stuff on the back.
"You're not that Budget truck right behind me, are you?" Sabe asked.
"Yeah. I think I am," I reply.
We laugh. I feel God telling me that everything's okay. If I make a mistake He will be there to fix it. I share this with Sabe and sing a song of praise.
That evening (Saturday) we look at our first possible rental, in Coldwater. It's a nice house with a big yard beautifully landscaped, but without the fence necessary for the dogs. As we talk to the owner, she mentions that we would be responsible to take care of the yard and that the dogs could not be put on any kind of restraint outside because it might create a bare patch in the yard.
We go for supper and all agree the house is not for us. All that landscaping would require too much work. The dogs need to run so we need a fenced yard. Desi insists the house is too small. We call the lady back and tell her no thank you.
The next day we spend on the phone looking for a rental that allows pets. Always they ask how big the dogs are and say no when we tell them 'black lab mixes.' We are supposed to turn the truck back in Monday but instead continue calling, calling, calling, and only two or three times actually looking at a house. None of them have fenced yards.
On Tuesday we look at a place in St. Marys. First we drive through the neighborhood and see many large dogs on chains. We also see a lot of trash and junk littering the yards. Then we go inside to find evidence of a leaking roof. We also see holes in the walls and other signs of neglect.
As we get into the van, I ask, "Is that place in Coldwater definitely out?" Sabe turns around and asks the girls. They all agree maybe we should rethink that house. "If it's even still available."
Sabe calls the woman to ask if the house is still available. It is. So she talks about our issues with renting her house. The woman says she didn't mean for us to care for all the flowerbeds, just to keep the grass cut. Well, that's a given. She also says if we want to put the dogs on the clothesline that will be okay.
We go to Coldwater and sign the lease.
That night as we sleep in our new house for the first time we talk about what happened. Sabe had asked God to have a house ready for us when we got here and He had done so. We rejected it--made a mistake. He kept the place open for us--fixed our mistake. Just as He had told me He would.
Thank You, Lord.
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