Trip Wrap-Up... Part Two

About a week and a half before we left Arizona we had to put our very sweet and also very old dog to sleep. It was a wretched decision to have to make but we knew it was the best thing for her. We didn't have much time to grieve with the busyness of preparing to move. But once we were on the road, there was plenty of time to remember... and mourn... and then rejoice. As Solomon said, "There  is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

We were in Missouri when we happened across the first sign...

Our sweet dog was named Belle... and she was 13 years old. We decided we should visit this little hamlet in Missouri...

I think Belle would like having a water tower named after her! That is some water dish!!

We passed this intersection getting back to the highway. Belle was our third dog (Biscuit was the first, then Muffin and finally Belle (we thought about naming her Waffles but the kids wouldn't go for it!))

As we drove through the town of Belle we talked about the funny things she had done (like frequently escaping out the front door when she was a puppy and running to the florist shop in the shopping center around the corner, walking inside and laying down- waiting for us to come get her!) and remembered how much joy she had brought us. We headed out of town ready to move on.

And then we passed this sign on I-65 in Illinois. 

We talked about the silly quirks she had (like wanting a treat every night at 8:30- I really think she could tell time!) and how she wasn't spoiled, just "well-loved." We continued on down the freeway ready to move on.

And then we passed this sign about 75 miles later on I-65 in Illinois. 

We talked about how protective she was (like when she nipped Richard while he was wrestling with the kids) and how she loved to lick your feet (something you either definitely like or absolutely dislike!). We continued on down the freeway ready to move on.

And then we passed this sign on I-64/77 in West Virginia. 

We talked about how much we would miss her and how she would have loved this adventure when she was younger. We decided to call this road trip "The Belle Memorial Trip" and we continued on down the freeway knowing we had wept and mourned and were ready to move on remembering the joy she gave us. Some would call these signs "coincidence" but we believe they were "God-incidenses."