Mitzi turned two yesterday.
Mitzi is my Mitsubishi Outlander.
Although she's only two, she already has 42,000 miles. Once I bought Mitzi, life shifted into the
fast lane. I wrote a little story about
test driving Mitzi and Peter Frampton playing on the radio. A man named Robbie made a comment about my
story in a grief forum. A couple of
weeks later he messaged me. Now that I
know Robbie, I am surprised he ever sent that message! The story that I shared with the world ended where Robbie and I got
engaged. The truth is that the
engagement started a whirlwind of activity that has only just started to slow
down a bit!
Planning a wedding wasn't easy, even as small of an event as
we had. There were only thirty family
and close friends invited and the wedding was held at a beautiful nine-bedroom
house in Destin, Florida. It could not
have happened without the help of said family and friends and for that we are
forever grateful. The only regret was
that both of our fathers were unable to be there. We loved our ceremony and the fact that both
families were able to remember and honor those that we lost while still
celebrating with us in our new found happiness.
We decided, not long after, that moving to the Mississippi
Coast would be our goal. We were still
sending wedding thank-yous as I began
filling out job applications. Once
interviews were scheduled, preliminary plans for selling the Texas house
began. Once I got a job, searching for a
place to live (with six pets!!!) was difficult.
It began as wanting to rent a house for a year to figure out what we
wanted, but soon changed to going ahead and buying a house. Buying takes a little time, so we had to also
find a furnished apartment to rent so that I could start the new job. I kept a calendar over the summer, using code
letters for which house we actually slept in that evening. There was only one occasion where we spent
more than seven nights in one place. A
triangle was carved on the highways from Houston to Jackson to Biloxi. And Mitzi was the champ that traveled those
miles. She was relieved upon occasion by
a Penske truck or two, but she also took her turn pulling "Dino", the
12-foot Uhaul trailer. Mitzi has taken
us on uncertain rides, heard us complain and cry and voice our fears; but Mitzi
has also heard our laughter, our hopes, our wonder at the beautiful sunsets and
rainbows. And yes, Mitzi has seen our
hugs and kisses along the way. Just this past Christmas, she traveled, full of presents and wearing reindeer antlers, to bring family - and three dogs - together for the holiday.
Mitzi turned two yesterday.
She has two dents, but don't we all?
I took her for a full wash and cleaning at Classy Chassis. She deserved it.
