Yes, prayers do get answered

A few posts back, I wrote about how we were hoping to get a road trip out to visit family.  We'd originally been looking at making the trip as a group near the end of summer.  With how gas prices have been going up, along with all the other expenses (except our electricity - that one is actually going to go down!), the amount of money we'd need for the trip was going up while the amount we could set aside for it was going down.  Just to make it even more challenging, we'd have one night's hotel stay en route in each direction (we've done the drive without staying at a hotel, but that is something to be avoided, even with two drivers).  I don't have a credit card, so that means having a rather large chunk of cash on hand for a deposit.  It was looking increasingly unlikely that we'd be able to swing the trip at all.

My family, meanwhile, has been working on getting a permanent monument placed on my brother's grave.  At the one year anniversary of his death, there are plans for a get together, including a mass and blessing of the new monument. 

Of course I wanted to be there, but just couldn't see how we could swing it so close.  Though there was still a slim chance that we could make it out at the end of the summer, there was just no way we could come up with the money for the trip so much earlier.  Still, though I told my family it was unlikely we'd make it out, I have seen too many things happen unexpectedly for me to rule it out.  What could I do, but send out a quick prayer and hope the answer would be in the affirmative!

Well, our little miracle happened, and with greater generosity than I dared hope for.  Granted, we won't all be able to go.  Dh can't book the time off - with all the holiday time he's been using as sick days, I'm not even sure he'd still be able to take the time at the end of the summer.  Eldest has her art sale to prepare for.  That means it's going to be just Youngest and I making the drive out.  This will actually allow us to leave earlier and stay longer.  Not too long.  The van will be needed to haul things around, plus I've become a crochet instructor and need to get classes arranged.  Still, we'll have at least a week to do the trip, and could probably take a day or two longer.

I'm looking forward to seeing both sides of the family while we're out.  I just wish it could be for a different reason.