I wanted to leave our house today by 10 am. Okay, let's be real. We were SUPPOSED to leave on Wednesday or Thursday, but for a variety of reasons including a sick and teething baby, we altered our plans.
We pulled out of our neighborhood at *ahem* 12:09 pm. I knew I needed caffeine (remember that sick and teething baby? Up every hour and a half last night...and for the last four days). I pulled into the McDonald's closest to our house (judge all you want), and wanted a simple Coke. However, their soda machine was out. So I hopped on the interstate and pulled off at the next exit where we purchased a McDonald's happy meal and a coke.
Hopped back on the interstate with our fully loaded car full of baby paraphernalia and projects, two babies, half a tank of gas, and lots of phone calls to catch up on. About 40 minutes down the road, I was on the phone with my friend Summer, who so beautifully designed Finley's birthday invitations and party decor. I was sharing all about the party when my cruise control suddenly disengaged. Eh, no big deal. It has been spotty lately.
Well, bigger deal than I realized. Soon, the gauge that looks like a battery (I don't speak car) went down to the lowest number, a 9. Shortly thereafter, EVERY gauge on my dash went to its lowest number...RPMs, speedometer, temperature, oil, and fuel. I had no idea how fast I was going nor did I know what to do. I ended our call abruptly and called Heath.
I started shaking and crying and basically freaking out. We were 57 miles into our 245 mile trip. There was an exit about two miles away, and I told him I was pulling over. He wanted me to simply turn around and get back on the interstate and go home, but I could feel I was losing power.
THANKFULLY, we made it to the gas station right off the exit. My car all but coasted into the station then shut off. I tried to restart it and I had nothing. It made this bizarre ticking sound and also all of the locks tried to engage. Again, I don't speak car.
How we ever survived without FaceTime is beyond me. Heath walked me through the fuse panel and we checked engine fuses and other things. Those checked out. Then he wanted me to disconnect the battery. When I tried that, it sparked at me. Awesome.
He told me to unload the kids and go inside while he made a few calls. (He was on the other end of the 245 miles, by the way.)
At that moment, a man came over to me and asked if he could help me. I told him I didn't know what was wrong, but he offered to look. He and Heath chatted for a moment and Heath let him know that I have been having engine problems for a while now (beach "holiday" in May started out with my car completely shutting down on I-10 THREE times...reduced engine power each time).
This man started looking and immediately suggested that my battery might be dead and that he could jump it for me. He and his friend pulled their huge truck over to my car and hooked it up. He then suggested that my alternator might be shot. He noticed that the "battery gauge" wasn't charging.
Anyway, they started asking where I was coming from and where I was going, and it turned out they were both from the central Florida area and were just in the panhandle at their hunting camp. We started talking about how I could get my hands on a new battery and I found out that he works for O'Reilly Auto Parts in central Florida. They offered to follow me back into town to get a new battery.
So, back in the car we went, and we headed into town. My car died twice in this 3-5 mile span. They turned around both times and jumped my battery.
Did I mention that it was in the 90s today?
Anyway, we coasted into the O'Reilly parking lot and I unloaded the littles. Kenton needed to eat and also needed a diaper change anyway. We went inside while they took to the hood of my car. A
If you've never been to an auto parts store, let me just tell you that they really aren't set up for nursing mothers :). They were super accommodating though and brought me a metal folding chair that I could put in the front window area so I could also keep an eye on my wide open car full of all of our baby paraphernalia and the like.
Earl, the one who works for O'Reilly, came in and let me know that my battery just needed to be recharged and did not need to be replaced. Yay! He also told me that my alternator was shot, but that if I charged the battery really well, I could *probably* make it back home, as long as we left the air conditioning off and didn't use any extra power.
Did I already mention that it was in the 90s today? And that my three year old SCREAMED the entire ride into town because the windows were down and her hair was flying everywhere?
I responded by repeating the word probably and then a slightly panicked grimace. He said I would have to find someone at home to replace the alternator.
Being the car idiot I am, I asked if an alternator was something I could purchase right there at the auto parts store, and if someone could just drop that in like they were dropping my battery in...he was very kind with his response :). He said yes I could buy one, but that no one around there would be able to install it.
Okay. No big deal. My awesome neighbors had already offered to drive the 58 miles to come pick us up...in both of their cars because we wouldn't all fit in one, since we brought everything but the kitchen sink.
He went back to the counter and told the lady the year and model of my car. Turns out they had my alternator.
Earl offered to install it for me! I told him he didn't have to, but he insisted and said I would be stranded otherwise. So, he and his friend, Rick, grabbed some bottled water and started taking apart my car.
Meanwhile, I waited inside with the little people...our afternoon started to feel like the episode of Full House when Jesse and the two girls are locked inside the mechanic shop. Finley was a filthy mess. She played with all of the car detailing brushes and cloths, then used some large vinyl brand decals as capes and dresses...if my phone hadn't been dead, I would have gotten pictures. Thankfully we also had some snacks.
About 45 minutes later, Earl came in with my charred-looking alternator and got a new shiny one. $161 later, we had a new alternator!
Or so we thought.
Turns out it wasn't the right one, and this store didn't have mine. But the store 24 miles down the road...in GEORGIA, did. Earl and Rick insisted on going to pick it up. Seriously, these poor men offered to help a mama and her kids get to the auto parts store, and over two hours later, they were volunteering to make an hour round trip to pick up the correct part to voluntarily finish fixing my car.
So we sat and waited some more. We had to quickly throw my battery in at one point to roll the windows up before a huge storm came through, but we made it. We changed diapers on top of boxes of car jacks, and snacked on ritz crackers and robin eggs (a random last minute addition to our snack bag).
Over an hour later, they returned with the right part and then stood in the rain for another hour putting my car back together.
I had nothing on me to give these men as a token of gratitude except baby gear, princess toys, and a thermal bag with bacon, peanut butter, and cream cheese. They graciously declined :)
After over four hours at the store, we were ready to go. They followed me back to the interstate and checked on me at the gas station. They wouldn't even let me pay for some snacks or food for them. They said it was their pleasure and that they have wives and children and would want the same thing for them if they had been in my shoes.
These men literally saved us today. This day was beyond stressful and scary for me, but had I actually left earlier in the week or even earlier in the day, our paths may not have crossed. God orchestrated this whole sequence of events and put two incredibly selfless, servant-minded men in our life today. I literally wept tears of joy as I continued driving tonight. The alternative could have been so very scary, but we are so incredibly grateful for how our adventure ended up unfolding today.
11 hours later, we made it to Heath :).
Earl and Rick, may God richly bless you. May we pay your kindness forward. Thank you for taking care of us and being such generous and genuine people.
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