"click, click, click....No place like home, no place like home"

We are back home from our travels. Long days on the road...ugh!
Funny thing though, it was not as bad as I had anticipated. Before we (my daughter and I) started our trip I was Really not looking forward to it. I do not like to travel long distant by car and choose to sleep it off rather than to enjoy the scenery. Wake me when we get there type of traveling. And I do not like the roads and traffic and what if we have bad traveling weather and so on and so forth.
So to make a long story short, too late..., before we left I asked my hubby for a blessing. He did give me a blessing and then left town himself. A sister and brother in our ward asked my daughter and I on sunday if there was anything they could do for our trip. (she is both of our VT and he is my daughter's HT) I could not think of anything and neither could my daughter. Then the couple talked about a GPS. I did not want to bother them and told them we had maps, but they would not hear of that and dropped off the GPS at my daughter's house.
On the day of departure I woke up and got ready for the trip and did not feel apprehensive. I picked up my daughter at 4 am and we were off. I drove the first part and she worked the GPS.
It was quite helpful and reassuring as we made our way through the towns and states.
After we had gotten to our cross country destination I told my hubby about my not feeling apprehensive and gave the credit to the blessing he had given me. Then he said that having the GPS could also be an answer because of the blessing.
Blessings come in many forms. Answers to prayers come in many ways. Recognizeng them and giving thanks is so very important.
We made our trip with good roads, good traffic, good weather. We did all the work we needed to do at our destination, had a good visit with family and friends, helped another daughter in the midwest, and was very grateful for the wonderful help from a busy son. We taxed our muscles and our backs, and did many good works. I was surprised at the stamina that I seemed to have through all this. Yes, I am old and have bad knees and taxed all the muscles but I kept on going. My daughter and son taxed their muscles and backs and took it to another level (they are younger and stronger). This strength and stamina I attribute to the blessing as well.
My daughter was going to have a yard sale on saturday to clean out her storage unit and get rid of some things she was not taking back home. On the morning of the sale it was raining lightly. I knew we wanted to put things in the yard and now the grass was all wet. And who would come out in the rain to a yard sale. I said a prayer. Then I got to thinking about it. Did I think that all I had to do was ask and my prayer would be answered? Did I have a special IN with God?
So I said a second prayer petitioning for the needed good weather. I still felt it was not enough. In the third prayer I poored my heart into it. I knew that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers and cares about us. And that we could do nothing without His help. The rain stopped and the weather cleard and it was a beautiful bright hot sunny day. I did not complain about the heat because I had already asked for this kind of day. We had the sale and took the leftovers to the good will store drop box. Hot and tired and sticky but truly blessed.
Now it was time for the trip home. I still did not feel Dread. We got an early start and had good weather (except a really brief rain), good roads and good traffic (for the most part- I hate construction areas) We made it home and felt good about that. Exhaustion has now set in and I am feeling my age. I am grateful to have been able to help 2 daughters with their differing projects. I am grateful for the answers to prayers and for the tender mercies of a loving and caring Heavenly Father. I am grateful for family and friends. And I am grateful to be safely home.