Vast blue sky
Clear night sky with a million stars
The smell of honeysuckle and jasmine in the evening
Baby smell
Children laughing
Time and talks with friends both near and far
Family
Seeing mountains every day
Laughter
Love, sweet and genuine, giving and unconditional
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
A Counting Of Blessings
It's so easy to get sidetracked from seeing all the good in one's life. The day to day stuff can get so overwhelming and so seemingly repetitive at times that we miss out on realizing all that God is doing around us. I personally believe that talking to God is something we can and should do all the time. Not just asking him for things or thanking him for the big stuff, but actually opening up our eyes to see the little things that God allows and designs for us to go through to direct our path on a day to day basis. Days turn into weeks, months and years, and once you start looking at all the detours and roads not taken, you start to realize that God definitely does have a plan for each of us and a special design for our lives.
I was just thinking the other day about all of the things, just in the last couple of weeks that I can thank God for, so I've decided to write them all down here. Things that I prayed for, or didn't, provisions that have been made and little extra blessings along the way.
1. Being able to save enough money to move. Part of this thanks should go to my ex-boyfriend who stepped up and payed for almost all of the bills for our old place for a couple of months so I could save all of my earnings for the move to Arizona.
2. A chance to say goodbye to all of my neighbor friends before I left.
3. No injuries while packing and got everything done on time.
4. My neighbor helping me pack the truck.
5. Decent weather while packing the truck, driving it to AZ and unloading it into storage.
6. Being able to tow my van instead of drive it across three states.
7. Safety while I traveled and stayed in different motels.
8. No break-in's or anything with the truck
9. No breakdown's on the road or problems with the vehicles while traveling.
10. Safety in camping out and not getting attacked by wild animals! LOL
11. No vehicle issues while camping and traveling around Phoenix.
12. Time to visit several apartments.
13. A chance to stay in the mountains and experience nature firsthand.
14. Bathrooms while camping.
15. Showers while camping.
16. Being able to stay with friends.
17. Making it to my friends house before my van started acting funny.
18. Being able to stay at my friends' house while working on my van.
19. Being fed at my friends' house.
20. A bed to sleep in.
21. Being able to reconnect with college friends.
22. Being able to spend time with Jenn, who is a fellow artsy person, natural food lover and sometimes-frustrated dog owner. :)))
23. Finding an apartment I really liked through following the breadcrumbs from other apartments.
24. Having God answer the question of whether to stay in Phoenix or Tucson by allowing my van to break down, therefore changing all of my plans to visit Tucson and opening up possibilities in Phoenix.
25. Having a million-and-a-half prayer warriors out there lifting up my needs and desires to a God that actually cares what happens to me.
26. My friends Jason and Jenn clearing out a room for me at their apartment and inviting me to stay until an apartment opened up for me.
27. Jenn driving me around here and there while my car was on hiatus.
28. Having kids to play with (even though sometimes I wish I did not have ears). Hehehe
29. Being able to fix my car (the first time) by myself and not breaking anything in the process.
30. Being able to afford the part for my car (the first one)
31. Finding a car place that actually knew what they were doing (the second time around) and getting the RIGHT fix this time!
32. I can return the other part for the first fix that didn't need to be done!
33. Finding out that my alternator wasn't bad.
34. My dad and step mom stepping in and helping me out in my time of need, so I could get my car fixed.
35. Consequently still having enough money to cover move-in costs for a new place to live.
36. Spending a few minutes to recheck availability at a good apartment.
37. Finding something available that I can still afford.
38. Finding an even better apartment location than what I had originally expected.
39. My friend setting up a meeting with a Mary Kay consultant, and the possibility of a fun side job.
40. The apartment I applied for being able to use my HEB income on my app. and not just my social security.
41. Being able to see mountains and a vast blue sky every single day!!
42. Getting a free month of storage with my truck rental from U-Haul.
43. Having a place to store all my crap while I find a place to live.
44. Knowing that I'm only a few hours from family.
45. Having kids and a baby to play with, friends to hang with, and a puppy that likes to play with my spunky one.
46. Knowing that I made the right decision and followed what I knew was right, even when a lot of people thought I was nuts.
47. Having the courage to leave.
48. Freeing myself to live again!
49. Going outside every night and seeing hundred's of stars in a deep blue sky.
50. Knowing there's more to come, and expecting the best.
I'm sure I'm even missing some here, and these are pretty big ones, even in the grand scheme of things. Fifty blessings in just a couple of weeks, and big blessings at that. I have so much to be thankful for!!! Things got rough there when I didn't know what was going to happen with my van, and didn't think I was going to be able to find an available apartment for another month and a half. I just kept saying to myself, "God is going to work this out. I know there's a plan here. He's got it covered. I know this is where I need to be."
I'm quite sure I will still have times of doubt, frustration, loneliness and hurt. After all, these are all the blessings! It's so much easier to get swept away in the bad stuff that happens and the stress of everything that doesn't come together like it should. It happens a LOT!! I am not some happy, sunshine-filled, everything is always great all the time kind of person, but I have to sometimes make myself count my blessings so I can see that my bad circumstances don't have to take over. And especially in the last couple of weeks I have seen some HUGE things happen in my life that I have had to stop and take notice of, and thank God for, because seriously there are just way too many things falling into place to think this is just coincidence.
When I get down in the dumps again, I'm going to have to remind myself to come back to this blog and read through this list. Then I can start another one, and another and another and as time goes on maybe it will get easier for me to notice even smaller things that happen, and be that much more grateful for all the blessings that I do not deserve but have graciously been given.
I was just thinking the other day about all of the things, just in the last couple of weeks that I can thank God for, so I've decided to write them all down here. Things that I prayed for, or didn't, provisions that have been made and little extra blessings along the way.
1. Being able to save enough money to move. Part of this thanks should go to my ex-boyfriend who stepped up and payed for almost all of the bills for our old place for a couple of months so I could save all of my earnings for the move to Arizona.
2. A chance to say goodbye to all of my neighbor friends before I left.
3. No injuries while packing and got everything done on time.
4. My neighbor helping me pack the truck.
5. Decent weather while packing the truck, driving it to AZ and unloading it into storage.
6. Being able to tow my van instead of drive it across three states.
7. Safety while I traveled and stayed in different motels.
8. No break-in's or anything with the truck
9. No breakdown's on the road or problems with the vehicles while traveling.
10. Safety in camping out and not getting attacked by wild animals! LOL
11. No vehicle issues while camping and traveling around Phoenix.
12. Time to visit several apartments.
13. A chance to stay in the mountains and experience nature firsthand.
14. Bathrooms while camping.
15. Showers while camping.
16. Being able to stay with friends.
17. Making it to my friends house before my van started acting funny.
18. Being able to stay at my friends' house while working on my van.
19. Being fed at my friends' house.
20. A bed to sleep in.
21. Being able to reconnect with college friends.
22. Being able to spend time with Jenn, who is a fellow artsy person, natural food lover and sometimes-frustrated dog owner. :)))
23. Finding an apartment I really liked through following the breadcrumbs from other apartments.
24. Having God answer the question of whether to stay in Phoenix or Tucson by allowing my van to break down, therefore changing all of my plans to visit Tucson and opening up possibilities in Phoenix.
25. Having a million-and-a-half prayer warriors out there lifting up my needs and desires to a God that actually cares what happens to me.
26. My friends Jason and Jenn clearing out a room for me at their apartment and inviting me to stay until an apartment opened up for me.
27. Jenn driving me around here and there while my car was on hiatus.
28. Having kids to play with (even though sometimes I wish I did not have ears). Hehehe
29. Being able to fix my car (the first time) by myself and not breaking anything in the process.
30. Being able to afford the part for my car (the first one)
31. Finding a car place that actually knew what they were doing (the second time around) and getting the RIGHT fix this time!
32. I can return the other part for the first fix that didn't need to be done!
33. Finding out that my alternator wasn't bad.
34. My dad and step mom stepping in and helping me out in my time of need, so I could get my car fixed.
35. Consequently still having enough money to cover move-in costs for a new place to live.
36. Spending a few minutes to recheck availability at a good apartment.
37. Finding something available that I can still afford.
38. Finding an even better apartment location than what I had originally expected.
39. My friend setting up a meeting with a Mary Kay consultant, and the possibility of a fun side job.
40. The apartment I applied for being able to use my HEB income on my app. and not just my social security.
41. Being able to see mountains and a vast blue sky every single day!!
42. Getting a free month of storage with my truck rental from U-Haul.
43. Having a place to store all my crap while I find a place to live.
44. Knowing that I'm only a few hours from family.
45. Having kids and a baby to play with, friends to hang with, and a puppy that likes to play with my spunky one.
46. Knowing that I made the right decision and followed what I knew was right, even when a lot of people thought I was nuts.
47. Having the courage to leave.
48. Freeing myself to live again!
49. Going outside every night and seeing hundred's of stars in a deep blue sky.
50. Knowing there's more to come, and expecting the best.
I'm sure I'm even missing some here, and these are pretty big ones, even in the grand scheme of things. Fifty blessings in just a couple of weeks, and big blessings at that. I have so much to be thankful for!!! Things got rough there when I didn't know what was going to happen with my van, and didn't think I was going to be able to find an available apartment for another month and a half. I just kept saying to myself, "God is going to work this out. I know there's a plan here. He's got it covered. I know this is where I need to be."
I'm quite sure I will still have times of doubt, frustration, loneliness and hurt. After all, these are all the blessings! It's so much easier to get swept away in the bad stuff that happens and the stress of everything that doesn't come together like it should. It happens a LOT!! I am not some happy, sunshine-filled, everything is always great all the time kind of person, but I have to sometimes make myself count my blessings so I can see that my bad circumstances don't have to take over. And especially in the last couple of weeks I have seen some HUGE things happen in my life that I have had to stop and take notice of, and thank God for, because seriously there are just way too many things falling into place to think this is just coincidence.
When I get down in the dumps again, I'm going to have to remind myself to come back to this blog and read through this list. Then I can start another one, and another and another and as time goes on maybe it will get easier for me to notice even smaller things that happen, and be that much more grateful for all the blessings that I do not deserve but have graciously been given.
Friday, April 8, 2011
New Digs And Mechanics
Some of you Facebookers know this already, but I have had the blessing of staying with college friends of mine for a week now. They have an apartment here in Gilbert, Texas, which is south of Mesa. I was certainly not expecting to stay this long, nor was I expecting to have the huge car problems that I have had in this past week.
On my way to Jason and Jenn's last Friday night I noticed that my car was not shifting into what I thought was 3rd gear. Luckily I didn't have that far to go, and was able to make it to their house safely. I started praying for a miracle, hoping to God would fix my car overnight and that the next day I would go out and it would just be fixed. Well, that didn't happen. For whatever reason, this is another thing I had to go through in this process of life.
After taking it in to the shop I was told that my engine computer module (ECM) needed to be replaced, and that my car had been stuck in 3rd gear. This was taken from a diagnostic test that was run on the car. Well I'll be darn if I didn't already know how to replace that part, because I had done it about 4 years ago. It's actually very easy to fix. You just need a socket wrench and to know what you're looking for. So, I ordered the part, and a couple days later picked it up and replaced it.
I took it out for a test drive really hoping that it would work, but it didn't. Absolutely nothing had changed. It was still stuck in 3rd gear.
So, I was really disappointed. My obvious next emotion was not a happy one, and was directed at the local chain store of auto repair. I won't say their name, but their initials are AAMCO. Haha! Anyway, I believe that they were just more clueless than anything. I mean, it could be that they saw this poor girl coming in in her pint t-shirt, and figured she had no idea what the difference was and that the $1200 they were asking to fix my ECM was reasonable enough. NOT!! Little did they know that I have the ability to take screws off, and replace a computer not once, but twice in my own car. Little did they know.
So, I took it to another shop after the first "fix" didn't work. This time it was to another local, but family-owned place. They ran a diagnostic on my car (the same one that had previously been done) and found that it was the transmission computer or the TCM that was the problem. My car runs on two computers, and in the last two days both have been replaced. This time I let someone else do the work, mostly because I believe they had to get under the car to replace this particular computer. This is something I don't have the equipment for. Thankfully labor is only 1/2 hour on this part, so the charge for that was small.
On my way to Jason and Jenn's last Friday night I noticed that my car was not shifting into what I thought was 3rd gear. Luckily I didn't have that far to go, and was able to make it to their house safely. I started praying for a miracle, hoping to God would fix my car overnight and that the next day I would go out and it would just be fixed. Well, that didn't happen. For whatever reason, this is another thing I had to go through in this process of life.
After taking it in to the shop I was told that my engine computer module (ECM) needed to be replaced, and that my car had been stuck in 3rd gear. This was taken from a diagnostic test that was run on the car. Well I'll be darn if I didn't already know how to replace that part, because I had done it about 4 years ago. It's actually very easy to fix. You just need a socket wrench and to know what you're looking for. So, I ordered the part, and a couple days later picked it up and replaced it.
I took it out for a test drive really hoping that it would work, but it didn't. Absolutely nothing had changed. It was still stuck in 3rd gear.
So, I was really disappointed. My obvious next emotion was not a happy one, and was directed at the local chain store of auto repair. I won't say their name, but their initials are AAMCO. Haha! Anyway, I believe that they were just more clueless than anything. I mean, it could be that they saw this poor girl coming in in her pint t-shirt, and figured she had no idea what the difference was and that the $1200 they were asking to fix my ECM was reasonable enough. NOT!! Little did they know that I have the ability to take screws off, and replace a computer not once, but twice in my own car. Little did they know.
So, I took it to another shop after the first "fix" didn't work. This time it was to another local, but family-owned place. They ran a diagnostic on my car (the same one that had previously been done) and found that it was the transmission computer or the TCM that was the problem. My car runs on two computers, and in the last two days both have been replaced. This time I let someone else do the work, mostly because I believe they had to get under the car to replace this particular computer. This is something I don't have the equipment for. Thankfully labor is only 1/2 hour on this part, so the charge for that was small.
This is what the old part looked like.
If you shake it you can actually hear the water and sand rattling around inside of it. No wonder it didn't work.
So I called back AutoZone and found out they still had my old ECM unit. I will be picking it up tomorrow and putting it back in my car to see if everything works fine with the old one. Ugh. What a pain in the butt. However, fixing my own car is very empowering. Empowering in a good way. It gives me a sense of gratification to know I can fix stuff like that and I'm not totally without skills. :)
So in all of this, my friends have housed and fed me, and have welcomed me into their home. Then when things were looking so discouraging with the car...a blessing.
My friends, Jason and Jenn, offered to let me stay in their house until an apartment became available, which could be into May. Thankful is just such an inadequate word for how I feel. And to top it off, they moved their kids into a room together so I could have a room for me and the dogs to have some private space. Wow! That's about all I can say. Thank God for friends.
I know I have blogged about this before, but going to Word of Life Bible Institute, and moving around as much as I have has branched my friends over most of the United States and several countries. There is this special bond between Believers that cannot be broken, and surpasses any physical boundaries. God uses us to touch each other's lives, to bless them, challenge them and encourage them. I have been blessed beyond measure. Even in the chaos of a car that decided not to run, these friends of mine have taken me in and blessed me more than they know!
So, now that my car is fixed my apartment search can resume, and I will shortly be on my way to a place of my own. Who knows what's in store next, but it has been a crazy ride so far!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Time To Break Out The Toolbox!! It's Marci-The-Tool-Girl-DeHaan!!!
Well, I'm glad I kept my toolbox in my car, instead of in storage, because it looks like it's gonna need it. The van is having computer issues, which are affecting the gear shifting in the transmission. Apparently, the engine computer and the transmission computer talk to each other, and when one is bad, the other doesn't work right. I guess the $100 I paid to find that out was worth it, because I believe I have already changed this part before by myself.
About 4 years ago I replaced the computer on my car. I believe it was the same one that is now having problems. The part I had was a refurbished one, so I'm not surprised it didn't last very long. I suppose four years isn't bad for a junkyard part. Bad timing, but if I fix this again myself, I can save over $1,000. So tomorrow I will be calling places here where I am staying, and try to find this part that I need again, and then I'll be breaking out my toolbox and my big-girl-panties to work on my car again.
Sometimes you just have to get your hands dirty!! :)
About 4 years ago I replaced the computer on my car. I believe it was the same one that is now having problems. The part I had was a refurbished one, so I'm not surprised it didn't last very long. I suppose four years isn't bad for a junkyard part. Bad timing, but if I fix this again myself, I can save over $1,000. So tomorrow I will be calling places here where I am staying, and try to find this part that I need again, and then I'll be breaking out my toolbox and my big-girl-panties to work on my car again.
Sometimes you just have to get your hands dirty!! :)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Facing Adversity And Rolling With The Punches
My trip had gone so well I was waiting for "the other shoe to drop". Well, it has started to, with my van starting to act up, causing a delay in my travel plans, as well as the pain on one my teeth, which I think might be my very first cavity, and the constant rejection of apartments you really like because they don't have anything available for another two months. I know in comparison, this is really nothing, but when money is already tight and time is not in endless supply, it really dampens the mood.
It's hard not to be discouraged. I found an apartment I would die to get into, but there's nothing available until at least the middle of May. Do I move to an area I don't like as much, but is still nice, or do I wait for the one I really want? Hmmm. Well, I haven't totally decided yet. Honestly, I'm considering options for temporary housing until the apartment I really want opens up. But I'm taking it in stride and trying not to panic.
My biggest concern is my van, which is not shifting into higher gears, and is running to high on RPM's at higher speeds, I think my engine might explode! At least it sounds like it will. lol. So I need to get that looked at and fixed before I can do any more real traveling. My plan was to head to Tucson in a couple of days, but depending on what happens with the van, that will either be delayed or cancelled altogether.
Part of this is just life circumstances, but I can't help but realize that Satan has an agenda here too. There is nothing worse than stealing the joy away from a Christian, or causing doubt where there once was none. He did it in the beginning of time with Eve, and he's kept doing it to this day. It's the oldest trick in the book because it works so well! So, despite the setbacks, I'm trying to keep a positive attitude and just roll with it. I'll let God work it all out because He's better at it than I am. :)
It's hard not to be discouraged. I found an apartment I would die to get into, but there's nothing available until at least the middle of May. Do I move to an area I don't like as much, but is still nice, or do I wait for the one I really want? Hmmm. Well, I haven't totally decided yet. Honestly, I'm considering options for temporary housing until the apartment I really want opens up. But I'm taking it in stride and trying not to panic.
My biggest concern is my van, which is not shifting into higher gears, and is running to high on RPM's at higher speeds, I think my engine might explode! At least it sounds like it will. lol. So I need to get that looked at and fixed before I can do any more real traveling. My plan was to head to Tucson in a couple of days, but depending on what happens with the van, that will either be delayed or cancelled altogether.
Part of this is just life circumstances, but I can't help but realize that Satan has an agenda here too. There is nothing worse than stealing the joy away from a Christian, or causing doubt where there once was none. He did it in the beginning of time with Eve, and he's kept doing it to this day. It's the oldest trick in the book because it works so well! So, despite the setbacks, I'm trying to keep a positive attitude and just roll with it. I'll let God work it all out because He's better at it than I am. :)
This Is How I Roll...
I think the girls are excited to finally be out of the U-Haul truck. I know I was!
Spring in the desert.
McDowell Mountain Regional Park at sunset.
Sammy thinks this is her new bed. Nope! It's an air mattress with a foam topper and mommy's blankets and pillows. I also have reusable grocery bags full of some food hanging from the hooks in the back of the van, just in case I get hungry on the road. 'Cause that's how we roll when WE camp!
View of the van from the back.
The trusty van!
More of spring in the desert with the mountains behind.First Time Camper Alert!!
I know people think I am absolutely crazy for pretending my van is like some kind of RV, and I am some kind of experienced camper, who knows what I'm doing! Hah! Well, I am not an experienced camper. In fact I have purposefully avoided it my entire life, like it was some kind of disease or something. I hated the idea of camping, mostly because I hated not being able to take a shower or use a "real" toilet to do my business. And sleeping on the ground...in a tent? No thank you! Call me a girl, a wuss, or just plain silly, but that's just the way I am.
However, in making my plans to visit Phoenix, I was thinking of ways to save money and started looking at RV parks and campsites. I guess somewhere between the time I was a child and now, someone got a clue and started installing bathrooms and showers at campsites. Who knew?! So I found myself considering the possibility of actually going camping. The idea of experiencing the beauty of the mountains of Arizona, instead of just looking at them from a distance was really appealing, and would offer me a good idea of places I could go if I wanted to escape the city for a day, or venture out for some hiking.
So after I unloaded my van off the back of the U-Haul truck, I set out on this journey of mine, equipped with no real knowledge of how to camp, or what I would encounter along the way. One thing I expected was dirty bathroom facilities. Another think I expected to see where a lot of people sitting around their campfires singing lame campfire songs. I know this sounds ridiculous, but like I said, I really did not go camping a lot as a child. The few times I did were with summer camp and church, so I didn't really have a whole lot to go on.
My first night in Phoenix, I stayed at a hotel, and after 3 nights of doing the same, across Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, I was starting to have some incling as to why there is a bed bug epidemic sweeping across this country. I didn't get any, but I don't like obvious signs that my room is not being cleaned like it should. I also don't like sleeping under blankets I KNOW have not been washed for who knows how long. I was ready to be sleeping in my own blankets, and be able to come and go as I wanted.
My first night camping was spent at the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, which is located East of Scottsdale, Arizona. It was quite a drive, and my GPS didn't recognize the address for the park, so it took some time getting there. I finally pulled in just as the sun was setting. Ideally, it would have been nice to get there during the day and be able to see the campsite and get the van all ready for the night. It just didn't work out that way.
So here I was with a van full of stuff, not organized the correct way for the camping situation, an air mattress that hadn't been blown up yet and two dogs trying to stay out of the way. It was not working well!! I finally got everything situated, but in the process had let in about a million moths, mosquitos, and other flying bugs into my van. They all congregated on the ceiling, and I was spraying lavender oil on them to try and kill them. It didn't work. Next try was the static guard aerosol can. It was worth a try. No luck.
Note to self. When going camping BRING SOME BUG SPRAY!!! Duh...
The bug massacre that followed can still be seen on the ceiling of my van. There was no way I was sleeping with mosquitos!
I had conveniently parked in a campsite directly in front of the bathrooms. I knew I was going to wake up at least once in the middle of the night and didn't want my hike to the bathrooms to be a long one. I was pleasantly surprised with what I found there. The bathrooms were extremely clean! There was a separate bathroom for the toilets and sink (which also had an electrical outlet), and the showers. There were two showers, but they were each in their separate bathroom, which a deadbolt lock on the door, and a little bench outside the shower stall where you could put your things. The water was HOT! Too hot really, but I wasn't complaining. It was way better than a cold shower! It was so nice. I got ready as I would any morning in my own house, with everything I needed to start my day.
The only thing that kind of freaked me out was an animal (who never showed himself) rustling around the bushes of my campsite. Kind of freaky, but I just kept myself and the dogs away from that area. It was probably just a jackrabbit. I had seen a few earlier in the evening at the park, but I suppose it could've been a snake. I didn't want to find out either way!
Second note to self. Stop opening and closing the doors!
The next day was spent in Phoenix, mostly around North Mountain and Glendale, looking at apartments. I think I visited 8 apartments that day. It was a productive day, with 3 apartments yielding possibilities. That night I wanted to stay at White Tank Mountain Regional Park, which was west of Peoria. It was another drive out to the mountains, but this time on the opposite side of the city. The drive was beautiful, with farmland preceding the mountainous skyline. Again, I managed to make it there right at sunset. But this time the van was prepared so I wouldn't be letting in a million bugs. I wasn't prepared for the warning I saw posted at the entry gate.
"MOUNTAIN LION SIGHTING, please keep watch over all pets and small children, and do not approach the mountain lions." Greeeeeeeat. Well, that was something I wasn't really prepared for. I seriously considered heading back, but thought I would be okay as long as I was close to the bathrooms again I would be pretty safe. No such luck this time!
The bathrooms were up a little incline from all of the campsites, and had these windy trails leading to them, which one could easily get lost trying to remember which path to take. I was totally freaked out! I fed the dogs quickly, and contemplated running to the bathroom. Not a good idea. Rocks were sticking out of the ground, just begging for me to trip on them. It was best to walk quickly and just use my....OH CRAP! I DON'T HAVE A FLASHLIGHT!!!
Third note to self. When going camping bring a flashlight, stupid!! Duh...
The closest thing I had was my cell phone, which wasn't all that bright. I must've looked like a complete idiot, waving my cell phone around me, singing "I'm just passing through. Please don't eat me. I'm just walking. Please don't hurt. Animals, just stay where you are. Just keep walking. Just keep walking." I was terrified I was going to have this face to face encounter with a mountain lion. It didn't happen, but it could have! Okay, the chances of that actually happening are slim to none, but I was stilled freaked out of my mind!
The other horrible thing about that night was that it stayed really hot all through the night. It was still 88 degrees at 4:00am. I kept turning on the car, running the air conditioning until it cooled off, then turning the car off, sleeping a few more hours until it was uncomfortably hot again, and repeating the whole process. Finally, at about 4:00am the temperature started to drop, so for the last few hours it was only the mid-seventies with a nice breeze. It was way more comfortable and I was able to open the windows and sleep until the same came up. Not exactly the best night's sleep.
The bathrooms were not as nice as the first night's stay. The bathroom and one shower stall were in the same building, but it was still very clean and totally served it's purpose.
Those were my two days of camping in my car. All in all I was very impressed with the campsites, the friendliness and attention shown by the parks and recreation staff and visitor's center staff. The campers were all respectful, and very friendly, as well as quiet during the night.
I was just proud of myself for not getting eaten by an animal, and surviving camping for the first time by myself with two dogs. Not bad for a first time camper. Maybe next time will even go better.
After camping for two nights I now see the appeal of having an RV. I might just have to get one for myself someday...as long as it has a shower and a toilet, of course! :)
However, in making my plans to visit Phoenix, I was thinking of ways to save money and started looking at RV parks and campsites. I guess somewhere between the time I was a child and now, someone got a clue and started installing bathrooms and showers at campsites. Who knew?! So I found myself considering the possibility of actually going camping. The idea of experiencing the beauty of the mountains of Arizona, instead of just looking at them from a distance was really appealing, and would offer me a good idea of places I could go if I wanted to escape the city for a day, or venture out for some hiking.
So after I unloaded my van off the back of the U-Haul truck, I set out on this journey of mine, equipped with no real knowledge of how to camp, or what I would encounter along the way. One thing I expected was dirty bathroom facilities. Another think I expected to see where a lot of people sitting around their campfires singing lame campfire songs. I know this sounds ridiculous, but like I said, I really did not go camping a lot as a child. The few times I did were with summer camp and church, so I didn't really have a whole lot to go on.
My first night in Phoenix, I stayed at a hotel, and after 3 nights of doing the same, across Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, I was starting to have some incling as to why there is a bed bug epidemic sweeping across this country. I didn't get any, but I don't like obvious signs that my room is not being cleaned like it should. I also don't like sleeping under blankets I KNOW have not been washed for who knows how long. I was ready to be sleeping in my own blankets, and be able to come and go as I wanted.
My first night camping was spent at the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, which is located East of Scottsdale, Arizona. It was quite a drive, and my GPS didn't recognize the address for the park, so it took some time getting there. I finally pulled in just as the sun was setting. Ideally, it would have been nice to get there during the day and be able to see the campsite and get the van all ready for the night. It just didn't work out that way.
So here I was with a van full of stuff, not organized the correct way for the camping situation, an air mattress that hadn't been blown up yet and two dogs trying to stay out of the way. It was not working well!! I finally got everything situated, but in the process had let in about a million moths, mosquitos, and other flying bugs into my van. They all congregated on the ceiling, and I was spraying lavender oil on them to try and kill them. It didn't work. Next try was the static guard aerosol can. It was worth a try. No luck.
Note to self. When going camping BRING SOME BUG SPRAY!!! Duh...
The bug massacre that followed can still be seen on the ceiling of my van. There was no way I was sleeping with mosquitos!
I had conveniently parked in a campsite directly in front of the bathrooms. I knew I was going to wake up at least once in the middle of the night and didn't want my hike to the bathrooms to be a long one. I was pleasantly surprised with what I found there. The bathrooms were extremely clean! There was a separate bathroom for the toilets and sink (which also had an electrical outlet), and the showers. There were two showers, but they were each in their separate bathroom, which a deadbolt lock on the door, and a little bench outside the shower stall where you could put your things. The water was HOT! Too hot really, but I wasn't complaining. It was way better than a cold shower! It was so nice. I got ready as I would any morning in my own house, with everything I needed to start my day.
The only thing that kind of freaked me out was an animal (who never showed himself) rustling around the bushes of my campsite. Kind of freaky, but I just kept myself and the dogs away from that area. It was probably just a jackrabbit. I had seen a few earlier in the evening at the park, but I suppose it could've been a snake. I didn't want to find out either way!
Second note to self. Stop opening and closing the doors!
The next day was spent in Phoenix, mostly around North Mountain and Glendale, looking at apartments. I think I visited 8 apartments that day. It was a productive day, with 3 apartments yielding possibilities. That night I wanted to stay at White Tank Mountain Regional Park, which was west of Peoria. It was another drive out to the mountains, but this time on the opposite side of the city. The drive was beautiful, with farmland preceding the mountainous skyline. Again, I managed to make it there right at sunset. But this time the van was prepared so I wouldn't be letting in a million bugs. I wasn't prepared for the warning I saw posted at the entry gate.
"MOUNTAIN LION SIGHTING, please keep watch over all pets and small children, and do not approach the mountain lions." Greeeeeeeat. Well, that was something I wasn't really prepared for. I seriously considered heading back, but thought I would be okay as long as I was close to the bathrooms again I would be pretty safe. No such luck this time!
The bathrooms were up a little incline from all of the campsites, and had these windy trails leading to them, which one could easily get lost trying to remember which path to take. I was totally freaked out! I fed the dogs quickly, and contemplated running to the bathroom. Not a good idea. Rocks were sticking out of the ground, just begging for me to trip on them. It was best to walk quickly and just use my....OH CRAP! I DON'T HAVE A FLASHLIGHT!!!
Third note to self. When going camping bring a flashlight, stupid!! Duh...
The closest thing I had was my cell phone, which wasn't all that bright. I must've looked like a complete idiot, waving my cell phone around me, singing "I'm just passing through. Please don't eat me. I'm just walking. Please don't hurt. Animals, just stay where you are. Just keep walking. Just keep walking." I was terrified I was going to have this face to face encounter with a mountain lion. It didn't happen, but it could have! Okay, the chances of that actually happening are slim to none, but I was stilled freaked out of my mind!
The other horrible thing about that night was that it stayed really hot all through the night. It was still 88 degrees at 4:00am. I kept turning on the car, running the air conditioning until it cooled off, then turning the car off, sleeping a few more hours until it was uncomfortably hot again, and repeating the whole process. Finally, at about 4:00am the temperature started to drop, so for the last few hours it was only the mid-seventies with a nice breeze. It was way more comfortable and I was able to open the windows and sleep until the same came up. Not exactly the best night's sleep.
The bathrooms were not as nice as the first night's stay. The bathroom and one shower stall were in the same building, but it was still very clean and totally served it's purpose.
Those were my two days of camping in my car. All in all I was very impressed with the campsites, the friendliness and attention shown by the parks and recreation staff and visitor's center staff. The campers were all respectful, and very friendly, as well as quiet during the night.
I was just proud of myself for not getting eaten by an animal, and surviving camping for the first time by myself with two dogs. Not bad for a first time camper. Maybe next time will even go better.
After camping for two nights I now see the appeal of having an RV. I might just have to get one for myself someday...as long as it has a shower and a toilet, of course! :)
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About Me
- Marci DeHaan
- It is my joy to write. All of my blogs have a special meaning to me, and allow me an outlet to express every side of myself. I like to write like I think, a scatterbrained mess of ideas and emotions that somehow spill out into totally relatable stories for others to share in. That is my life. Please enjoy my blogs and writings. They range anywhere from cynical posts about singleness, to nurturing, important posts to young women, to every kind of life moment and stories about being human. My favorite catch phrase is "still practicing", which is on almost all of my posts. Why? Because I am...still practicing at writing, at being a better, more well-rounded person, and at life in general. I hope to always be practicing. Happy reading! :)