Handling Travel Setbacks with Grace

We were 17 states deep—coasting along the East Coast, waking up near wild ponies, climbing castles towers, chasing waterfalls.  My mom, my kids, Grantie, Carlos, and I were collecting memories in motion. 

It wasn’t perfect (six people, big personalities, and one rolling home never is), but we were doing it—multi-generational travel at its realest.

And then…life happened…a travel set back.

First, the fridge in the RV broke. Not ideal.  But the solution became more clear: let’s head back to Texas for repairs.  It lined up with my mom’s travel schedule anyway-she was getting ready for a cruise and could part ways gracefully.

I’ll really miss her when we get back on the road.  She’s my margarita maker, another helping hand, my late-night “tiddle-taddle” partner—those hours where we’re doing nothing and everything all at once, chatting about life until we lose track of time.  It’s been a blessing traveling with her, especially when I think about how far we’ve come.  I’m grateful we got this time.

But wait, there’s more.  Five days after making it safely back to Texas, my car’s transmission went out.

That’s when I paused.  Not in panic, but in peace.

The Shift: From Stress to Surrender

There was a version of me not so long ago that would’ve spiraled.  Fridge.  RV detour.  Car.  Kids.  Change.  All of it.  I would’ve stressed, tried to “fix it,” carried it all on my shoulders and then some.

But life’s big trials have taught me something—if you let them, they change how you handle the small stuff.  This moment, this disruption, this detour?  It wasn’t the end.  It was an invitation.

The Gift in the Detour

Coming back home meant I could get in to see my chiropractor right away—my body really needed it.  I was able to rest, declutter the RV, consolidate our things, and reset before the next leg of the journey.  That reset was both physical and emotional.

Being on the road with family is beautiful and hard.  The pause gave everyone space to breathe.  And while I was disappointed to stop, I can honestly say:  I see the blessing in the break.

Assateague Island

Gillette Castle

Strawbery Banke Museum

Diana's Bath

Moments I’ll Never Forget

This leg of our trip was full of awe-inspiring discoveries:

• Assateague Island (wild ponies! Atlantic Ocean!)
• Gillette Castle (a real-life stone wonder)
• Strawbery Banke Museum (where history came alive)
• Diana’s Bath (where we nearly had a heart-stopping scare…)

Yes, at Diana’s Bath, Arrington slipped near the rocks and was briefly pulled by the current.  Thank God he’s okay.  But that moment?  It shook me.  It reminded me that every single breath, every single second, is a gift.  These kids are my heart walking around outside my body—and traveling with them makes me feel that in the deepest way.

When the Transmission Goes

I’ve been joyfully car-note-free for a couple of years now.  Buying a new car wasn’t part of the plan—not for another two years, at least.  So yes, the transmission going out felt like a punch.  But it happened here, at home.  Not in Canada.  Not in some unfamiliar roadside town.  And for that, I say: God is still good!

Letting Go of the Old Way

What I’ve learned from this entire experience—from the fridge ,to the fall, to the transmission—is that handling travel setbacks with grace isn’t about pretending they don’t bother you.  It’s about choosing peace when panic is easy.  It’s about seeing how even interruptions hold insight.

I’m a woman who used to stress.  Now, I pause.  I pray.  I pivot.  I praise.

I may not be where I thought I’d be this week, but I am where I need to be.

BTW:  “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” – Unknown

What’s a detour that ended up being a blessing for you? I’d love to hear your story—share it in the comments below.

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