Fork in the Road Friday Five

Singing Owl over at RevGalBlogPals writes:

I am at a life-changing juncture. I do not know which way I will go, but I have been thinking about the times, people and events that changed my life (for good or ill) in significant ways. For today's Friday Five, share with us five "fork-in-the-road" events, or persons, or choices. And how did life change after these forks in the road

This was one that required some thought! Here are five I can remember:
1. One early fall night, my friend Jennifer invited me to join her at our church's youth group. I was a sophomore in high school, she was a freshman. The group had about 12 members, sometimes more. I went that week and never looked back. The counselors, Mr. and Mrs. "C" were in their 50s then, but they related to us like I had never seen an adult relate to a kid before. I became very, very close to them, and my theology and even political views were formed as I spent a lot of time with them over the next few years. I don't think I would have ever heard my call to ministry if it weren't for this couple, who are now in their late 70s. They literally saved my life several times, when I was down and depressed and didn't know where to turn. God Bless them!

2. On May 22 of my senior year, I was accepted off of the waiting list to Big Name Engineering school. I had already filled out my dorm preference card for Smaller Name school, where I had a full scholarship. But my dad was so excited to see me get into Big Name School, he told me we would figure out how to pay for it. I didn't think I would survive at BNS, and I almost didn't, but I am really, really glad I went there, mostly for #3 below:

3. When I went to college at the Big Name Engineering School, I knew no one. It was Rush Week, my parents dropped me off on the big street by the school, and I was on my own. After seeing all the dorms in a couple of hours, I decided to call the co-ed fraternity where my ex-boyfriend's friend was a member, even though I had only met him once. I went over there on Saturday morning for breakfast, and, you guessed it, never looked back! In this wonderful living group, where I lived for the next four years, I met my three best friends ever, one of whom is my husband Starman, the love of my life for the last 24 years.

4. Starman asked me out on October 5 of my freshman year at BNS. He wasn't my ideal picture of a boyfriend - I was very preppy back in 1984, and he still was part of the "hippy" look - long hair, flare pants. He wasn't tall, he wasn't muscular. But he had great eyes and we seemed to have an endless supply of things to talk about. I said yes. By December I knew I wanted to marry him. I have never dated anyone else for more than a month. He still isn't a great dresser, but he has short hair now. And he can fix just about anything that breaks. And we still have an endless supply of things to talk about!

5. In 1995, we decided it was time to have some children. Got pregnant fast the first time, but lost 5 babies through miscarriage and stillbirth in about 3 years. Each time, we had to decide whether we wanted to try again, whether it was worth the possibility of heartbreak. After all those losses, the doctors finally figured out the formula, which included bedrest, two heparin shots and a baby aspirin every day, a cerclage at 12 weeks, progesterone shots daily through twelve weeks and modified bedrest. Oh, and constant unrelenting nausea necessitating trips to the emergency room. We did it three times, and it worked three times. I am so glad we didn't give up!

Of course, deciding to give up consulting engineering for seminary was another choice, and there of course were more after that, but these are 5 big ones. This question reminds me of my favorite poem, by Robert Frost, and I will leave you with that:

The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy, and wanted wear,
Although for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I left the first for another day
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back

Oh, I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood and I
I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference.

Thank you Singing Owl!