My van won't park and other small potatoes

That's right. It won't park. It'll do every other gear and sometimes I can get into park but I can't count on it. There's something wrong with the actual gear shifty thingy. That stick thing on the steering column. I don't think it's a transmission problem because it parks quite well when it does go into park.
By the way, I have discovered that "park" is a very important gear. I just didn't realize just how useful it was. So while I can still go places. I can't stay long.

So tomorrow, I will haul all the boys to my mom's while I hang out at the Chrysler place and work on cub scout plans while waiting for my van to regain its parking ability. I can't wait to explain that problem to the car-fix guys. No run of the mill basic auto problems for me. No sir-ree. I always have to go straight for the freaky deaky.
Those of you in the know should have a big clue as to why my van is no longer behaving itself. Yep...my hubby left for a series of trips today. He's on his way to Germany right now. Then next week is another trip and the week after that is yet another trip. Fate knows when these trips are planned and she pulls out her big problems just for the drama.

Oddly, I'm not even the least bit concerned about the traveling nor the van problems.
My issues are small potatoes compared to the people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
And I know one mom who would give everything she had just to have every last one of my problems.

She lost her 10 year old son to brain cancer today. A cancer he fought for half his short and precious life. She wrote: "Today at 3:21 pm C's journey here on earth ended as Jesus met him and took his broken body and healed it forever and carried him to heaven. His passing was peaceful and quick and his suffering has ended. I feel like a part of my soul is missing, but my heart knows he is at peace and that he is better off, even if I am not."

I can understand that emotion of relief and then the guilt of feeling that relief. I felt it when my Daddy finally ended his own great battle. It was almost a joyous feeling of "Oh, thank you God. He's finally stopped suffering." Immediately followed by the selfish pain of loss that feels as though someone has reached in and pulled out your heart.

As hard as it was for me to lose my father, I can't even imagine what I would do if I lost one of my children.
I look at my own son who is almost 10 and the concept is unfathomable.
It sure makes van problems seem insignificant.

So hug your precious gifts and be thankful to God for loaning you these souls to love and cherish. And pray for all those in the path of this storm.