Back in February as I was planning to move from Wyoming to Arkansas, things began to happen fast. I had applied for my job in late November; but I had not heard anything after the initial phone interview. I did not want to get my hopes up and I had not begun packing because if I didn’t get the job, I had hoped to stay where I was. My daughter had decided, soon after returning from her deployment, to buy a house; however, I knew I did not want to move in with her. If I was going to have to leave behind my flowers and my chickens, I would need to move much further away than a mile or two.
As her closing date drew near, I became more anxious. I called the botanical garden, where I had applied, to inquire about the status of my application. Apparently, they had sent me an email with a job offer that I had not seen because it went into my “spam” folder. Once I had accepted the position I had to shift into high gear as they needed me there ASAP. I decided it would be best to put most of my things in storage temporarily and drive to Arkansas with only bare essentials. The temperatures had dropped to around 15℉ below zero and there was several inches of snow on the ground. My daughter had arranged for a friend of hers to help us load my heavy furniture into the storage unit. Once we had the first load in the back of my truck, my truck decided not to run. My daughter was convinced this was a sign that I was not supposed to go. She was able to take the truck limping, to a repair shop and they promised to have me on the road in a couple of days, assuring me that it would make the 1100 mile journey. Meanwhile, we borrowed another friend’s truck and got my remaining things moved into the storage. On the day I was to begin my trip, my daughter had her army drill, so I loaded my truck by myself. My former son-in-law helped me to lift my mattress and box spring onto the tonneau cover and strap it down. I was on the road by mid-day with my cat in his kennel, leaving the safety of my “shire” and feeling like Bilbo Baggins heading out on an adventure filled with unknowns. I pushed my fears to the back of my mind and drove, focused only on getting there.
I had rented a place sight unseen, from a man I found on Craigslist. I had sent him deposit money via Western Union. I trusted my inner guidance, hoping and praying that my way would be made straight, perfect, and successful in every way. That was only the beginning!
