Vacation Day One

We pulled out of our yard around 9:30am to head to New Hampshire for our first road trip since 2004 and family vacation since 2006.
We almost had a stowaway.

I started out driving and the kids settled into the back seat.

Then, it happened. We pulled over for our first gas/bathroom/food stop when a small river flooded the ground under our car. We opened the hood and steam poured out just like in a movies. After further investigating we added coolant and then headed back out headed north unsure of the seriousness of our issue.

We didn't make it 2 miles before my fancy-shmancy Cadillac began to tell me the engine was too hot and I needed to idle the engine. I made it to an overpass where I pulled over to keep us out of the 110 degree heat index outside.

Again steam rolled it's way out from under the hood of our car.

Steve got out and checked whatever he checks and I encouraged the boys to get out and hang out up under the overpass. I mean how often do you get a chance to spend hours under an overpass? In our case it had been since 2004 when we were on our last family road trip and found ourselves broken down under an overpass, but that is another story.

We weren't on the side of the road but a few minutes before a State Trooper, who had pulled someone in the southbound lane over, crossed the median and asked if we needed help.

He then gave Steve a ride to not 1 but 2 auto parts stores so he could purchase the parts we needed for the car.

Meanwhile the boys and I spent our our taking pictures and watching the excitement that happens on the side of the interstate in Georgia.

I gotta be honest my mindset started off pretty positive. I was fine with where we were at, enjoying the here and now, but then somehow I let my mind go and I began to feel sorry for myself.

I couldn't believe we had not been away as a family in years and this is where we ended up just 220 miles from home. My husband who works incredibly hard was now spending his first day off in almost a year, working on the mechanics of our car. I sent out frantic texts asking for prayer. I eventually settled back into a rational mindset.

Then after being on the side of the road for over 2 hours we pulled back out into the northbound lane until....