We had a VERY interesting day yesterday!! You have to read to the end of this post though, I’m telling you, it just keeps getting … umm… better… LOL
The day started out early. We loaded everyone up and headed to Cedar Rapids for the Down Syndrome Buddy Walk. I was pretty excited, and the kids were all pretty curious. Hehe All four of the kids, me, and my Mom on our way by 7:30am. Cedar Rapids is at least a 1 ¾ hourish drive and I wasn’t completely sure where I was going once we got into the city, so we were leaving early so we’d have plenty of time…. Umm… yeah, sounds good in theory… lol
Let’s just say that I should have printed the map that went along with the directions from Mapquest. Lesson: Rockford Rd has a much smaller sign than the other streets!
So, we get to the venue, get inside, and find the Smiths who have set up the RR table (and probably already been there for like hours!), and introduce ourselves. I have to tell you that my girls both just LOVE Nevin!! He is so funny, and sweet, and outgoing! We helped him sell his goodies while we passed out our RR stuff and talked to people about the kiddos. I met a BUNCH of really nice people and got to talk to them about Ds, our kids, our adoption, RR, and just general stuff too! The kids were all so good, other than Olivia melted down a bit at one point but once we figured out what her problem was, and fixed it she was good to go too. Really, the drama that this girl throws into things sometimes makes me really worry about her teen years. LOL Kati also got Nevin to autograph her T-shirt. Hehe
While we were at the BW, we entered some Raffles. We actually WON some great stuff too!! The girls won a whole set of “American Girl” books, $20 gc for Walmart, and an oil change/filter/lube from a local place which I shared with the Smiths since I didn’t think that driving to Cedar Rapids for an oil change would really benefit my vehicle. Hehe
After the Buddy Walk it was off to Marion to surprise my “niece” at work(she works at Culver’s) and meet up with her Dad for lunch. He is my sister’s ex but we have stayed in touch and are friends, and love to see them when we are in the area. WE were the ones surprised too because he had my youngest niece(my sister’s youngest) for the weekend and didn’t tell me when we were making our plans. I squeezed her so hard her little head almost popped off when I saw her! I really miss her (and my other nieces and nephew). The kids had a blast catching up with her, and she got to meet Timothy for the first time. Christa was surprised when she saw us, and really excited when she saw Mom was with us too! We had a nice visit and lunch, and headed out for the trip home, and our detour in Iowa City to shop for a bit.
About halfway to IC, the “check engine” light came on in the van. I said a prayer, and asked God to please let us make it safely to IC. Please? Just as we were making the last off ramp (about 2 miles from IC), something happened and I couldn’t get the van above 50mph. My heart fell into my stomach, and my stomach jumped into my throat, and I just prayed over and over, “Please just a little further, please…” I needed to get us off of the interstate and as close to civilization as I could so that we weren’t stranded on the side of the road too far to be able to get out and be safe, especially since all of the kids were with me.
After what seemed like forever, in actuality it was about a mile, we got off of the interstate at the exit to Coralville, right across from a major mall (that was my target stopping place if we could just make it). The next thing to worry about was stopping at the traffic light and getting moving again once it changed so that we could get through a VERY busy intersection and into the mall parking lot. We made it though!! I was frazzled and scared and upset at the idea of being stuck still 90 miles from home and NO clue how we would get the van fixed or home or whatever. But, we were safe, and I was able to find a parking place relatively close to the building that I could pull straight through so that the van was facing out in case someone needed access to the engine. Shrug, I dunno… We all got out, and headed inside.
Thus began the desperate phone calls. First I called John who thankfully had to work yesterday. If he hadn’t had to work, he would have been with us and it might have been a bit more complicated, not that it wasn’t already! He set off to call the insurance, the car dealership, and a tow truck. I took on the task of finding someone who could just drop everything and come to IC to help get us all home. I texted a couple of people. Both had plans that they couldn’t change or get out of. The NERVE of my friends to make plans with their families on a Saturday! Sheesh… I actually had thought that one of them was in IC because she had mentioned that they were planning to go there earlier in the week. They weren’t though, plans had changed, and they were still in Burlington. After about an hour of crazy phone calls between me, John, Stacey, and Nicki, we had a plan. I am SO happy that the Coral Ridge mall has an indoor climbing/play spot (free!) for the little kids to occupy them while all of this was going on! I had also posted our situation to Facebook and begged for prayers knowing that only God would be able to work out all of the crazy details and also knowing that my friends would have me “covered”!
John got a tow arranged for the van but it would be awhile because they were finishing another job. Ok, no problem, we were ok at the mall. The dealership had a loaner mini van that we could borrow for the weekend and would have it waiting anytime we were able to get there to get it. John would have to leave work to come get us but since his truck isn't big enough for all 7 of us to ride, I arranged for Stacey to come too and help with getting us home. Since it was getting near supper time and the little kids were getting a little cranky with playing, we all agreed it was time for some supper. ALL. THE. WAY. AT. THE.OTHER.END.OF.THE.MALL. This little tidbit will be important in a minute.
As we moseyed toward the food court, my cellphone rang and it was one of my scrapbooking buddies here in Burlington offering her big van to get us all home. I was so touched, and grateful, but had to decline since everyone was already on their way.
Just as we got to the food court, my phone rang again. It was the tow service calling to tell me that their truck was outside waiting. WOW, that was FAST! Ok, so I hurriedly left instructions for Kati to help everyone get what they needed, and Mom stayed with all of the kids, and I took off alllll the way back to the other end of the mall to meet the tow truck at the van. Huff, puff, huff, puff… LOL! When I got outside, he was already backed up to the back of the van. He got out and introduced himself. I asked if he knew where to take it and he said yes, and told me the place, and our city. As he was filling in the paperwork, I got the stuff that the kids had brought, Mom’s bag, etc. from the van. When I was done, he pulled the van up onto the flat bed, and that was that. I gave him the keys and headed back into the mall lugging (literally) all of our bags which included Kati’s 75 pound purse full of books and other various dead weight… and off went the van on the back of a flatbed.
Whew… I was finally beginning to settle down knowing that things were going to work out.
Oh but there’s more!!
Just as I was nearly back to the food court, my phone rang. It was the tow service that John had called. “I need to know where your van is located and which mall entrance to use to get to it”… WHAAAAT!!!???? OMG!!!! I knew that the truck that had come was not the service John had arranged, but I assumed that they had arranged for someone else since their driver was delayed. The guy knew the info, was actually pulled in RIGHT to our van in the parking lot… when I asked him, HE told me where he was taking it, I didn’t tell him, so I didn’t even question that he was supposed to be there. But then, if that had been the case, WHY was this guy asking me where to go pick up the van!!??? I told him I would call him right back, I needed to figure this out! In reality, I needed to sit down so I didn’t PASS OUT!!! I had just given my van away!!! I made it to the food court and literally fell into the chair!! I called John to find out what if he knew what had just happened… he was actually at the mall, so I just waited for him to get parked.
In the meantime, I’m babbling… going over the scenerios with Mom, and trying to figure out what I’d just done. John called the two guy and told him we didn’t need him afterall, and what had happened. He was not happy and said that he’d get back to us to let us know what we owed him for his wasted trip. Mom and I had decided that it HAD to have been the insurance company that sent the other truck, so I was feeling a tad better about giving my keys to a strange guy.
When John came in, I went over everything that had just happened again. He was a little worried though because he had told the insurance lady that HE would arrange for the tow. I realized that I had the number for the place that took the van because they had called my cell to let me know that they were there. I called them back, explained who I was and asked who had called them… it was the insurance company. OMG… for the third time in that many hours, I was ready to just PASS OUT!! John was upset that they hadn’t listed when he told them he’s make the arrangements, I was trying to get the blood flow back to all of the parts of my body that had just drained out after hearing the newest development, and Mom and the kids were just cracking up at all of the crazy things that had just transpired!!
We were still waiting for Stacey, so John and I got something to eat, the kids went over to ride the carrousel, and we just settled down for a few minutes. When Stacey got there, I went over the whole hysterical story with her, and we all had a good laugh.
The last little bit of fun was Kati’s fortune cookie from supper “A sudden change in plans will bring you good fortune”. Wow… talk about timing!! Very appropriate given the last several hours!! TOOOOO FUNNY!!
When we got back to Burlington, we dropped Timothy off at home with Kati, Joe, and Olivia whom Stacey had just dropped off, and John and I went to the dealership (they were closed but had left the loaner van for us with the key in a place that we knew to look).
Frankly, at this point I was STILL praying that our van would be there too! I was relieved to pull around the corner and see it sitting there as if nothing was even wrong. WHEW!!!
WHAT a FIASCO!!! We still don’t know how much this is all going to end up costing until we call in the morning and find out what’s wrong with the minivan, and the TWO tow services. So we’re still really praying for it to be under warranty, but we are HOME, and safe, and had a good day despite the devil’s trying to mess it up for us!
We are so blessed to have such great friends, and to have our God who even in the midst of ALLLLL of that, was right here with us to protect us from what could have been a MUCH worse ordeal with the van!!!!
Oh, and Kati’s take on the day is “It was the best day ever”!!! Suuure, she’s 14 and doesn’t have to worry about the added grey hairs that *I* have sprouted!!
praying for you all...
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