Oct
08
Plans were made last week for me (and other family members) to come to Charlotte on Friday when K thought she would have her baby. I would drive to Tuscaloosa, AL to spend the night with my other daughter and then make the rest of the trip Friday. When Kat called Thursday afternoon to say the dr. didn’t help get her labor started I figured I should stay home until something was happening. I quit loading my car and settled in for the evening….then she called back and said Jeremy’s family was coming anyway and that I should come on! It was after dark by then, I was undecided about what to do. Don told me even though it was dark he thought he’d like for me to break the long trip up, so I should go ahead and drive that night to E’s house anyway. By the time I got the rest of my things together it was almost 8:30 before I left. There is one stretch of road before I get into Tuscaloosa that seems a little deserted with no cell phone coverage. I called several friends to let them know I was travelling so they could pray for me, I was worried something would happen to my car after dark. A little after 10 I came upon a license check roadblock around Starkville, MS. No problem, I always have everything with me! He shined his light everywhere, looked at my license and then told me my tag had expired on Monday, argghh! He asked me if I was going to take care of it and I told him I would so he let me go on! The rest of that leg of the trip was uneventful.
I visited with E for a bit Thursday night and decided to try to get on the road around 8ish Friday since I still had about 7+ hours to go; I wanted to do my driving in the daytime and would lose an hour going. All went well for most of the way. When I was close to Greenville, South Carolina I noticed my car/steering wheel started shaking. I wasn’t sure what it was, talked to Don but he was in TN and it was hard for him to know what it was or what I should do. I was in about 3-4 lanes of traffic on my side of the highway with me in the middle and just a few minutes after getting off the cell there was a loud booming kind of sound and the car sorta felt like it fell and became hard to steer. It was so sudden, so startling to me and I felt like I had to make a split second decision on which shoulder to aim for without losing control of the car. I made it off the road on the left side with cars whizzing past me shaking my car with every pass. Yep, a blowout on a very busy stretch of interstate 85 in South Carolina! I was shaking so hard by then, felt very alone and had no idea what to do. Called hubby back right away, he took my 800 number for GMC and told me he’d call someone and call me back. Before he could call me back, a truck with flashing lights pulled up behind me with South Carolina DOT written all over his truck. His name was Ed, he said I could wait for someone my hubby called but that he was on an incident/emergency response team, this was his job and he could change my tire for free and get me back on the road! And he did just that…..he jacked up the car, got out my spare which happened to be a full size tire and got it all taken care of. He said they monitor all along the interstate for these kinds of things, he’d been following an erratic driver to get info on her and had passed me going northbound. After dealing with that car he turned around to go south and saw me stopped on the side so he came to help me. I was the 9th person that day he’d changed a tire for I believe he told me. What a great service that is in South Carolina!
I’m so thankful that this hadn’t happened the night before when it was dark, I’m so glad I was where I was and could get help immediately, and I’m so glad that no one got hurt in the process. I know the Lord was watching out for me, taking care of me. I’m also grateful for Ed, my new best friend, new pal and guardian angel! I so wanted to take his picture but just couldn’t get up the nerve to ask him….plus my camera was in the car that was jacked up. So no pictures of him or the tire on the car but here’s the tire he put back in the back of my suburban.
I think it looked worse when it was still on the car than it looks sitting there! But I wasn’t going anywhere when it was on the car. Ed also told me the other back tire looked like it was going to do the same thing pretty soon and that the spare was worn also. I now need a new license tag plus new tires before I can drive home! And yesterday Jeremy’s dad’s car broke down so he’s out this morning trying to get it fixed. This trip so far has been all about the cars instead of the baby! But a doctor’s appointment is on tap for this morning so maybe things will start up after that!
October 8th, 2007 at 8:13 am
What a trip! Glad you are safe. Be sure to get your tires before you head back home. Whenever we need tires, Dom always goes ahead and get a full set of 4, and keeps the best one of the old tires as the new spare.
Anxiously awaiting a baby announcement!
October 8th, 2007 at 8:13 am
OH MY GOODNESS! I am so happy that you love Jesus my friend!!! He is good to you. Did you happen to glimpse Ed’s wings bulging as he changed your tire?
I have stories like that, and every time they happen it builds my faith stronger than before. “If He is for us, who can be against us?”
Blessings for safety all around, a quick and smooth delivery, a healthy, beautiful baby, and wonderful visits with the family and new grandbaby.
Keep us posted. We are excited with you, and rejoicing in your safe travel and new best friend.
October 8th, 2007 at 8:20 am
Glad you’re safe and there now. Good luck at the doc.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Wow! Sounds like you have many guyardian angels in your corner! I am glad you are O.K. and that Ed was there to help. And good luck getting new tires and tags!
October 8th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Well, Ed sounds like a good friend to have! How great that he was there to help, and that he was one of the good guys. I would be worried if someone drove up to me, when I was obviously stranded, and wanted to “help” me. Glad he was able to help, that tire looks bad. Time for 4 new tires, plus a new spare! 🙂
October 8th, 2007 at 9:28 am
Girl I’m so glad you’re ok! That sounds like a great thing they offer in NC…we won’t get that in MS..but we can wish 🙂
Hope things go great with the apt today 🙂
October 8th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Oh my. I’m so glad you are ok! I just had a tire blowout the other day on my way to get my girl from school. Luckily my hubby came to fix it for me. Thank God for your guardian Angel – ED!!! Can’t wait to hear more about that baby.
October 8th, 2007 at 10:46 am
I’m so happy to hear that a guardian angel found you when you really needed one. What a wonderful service to offer for those in SC. It sounds like you handled the blowout really well, too.
Keeping my fingers crossed on the baby front.
October 8th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Oh my. I’m so glad you are safe and sound. What a trip! And how about that – an angel named ED! Who would have thought?! I’m so glad it all worked out for you.
October 8th, 2007 at 11:51 am
I’m glad you’re safe! That tire looks nasty! Now, settle in and get ready for the baby:)
October 8th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Glad you’re safe now 🙂
The tire just looks scary, goodness, I’m so glad everyone is ok.
Enjoy the new baby now 🙂
October 8th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
How wonderful that he was there to help you! I know exactly how that feels. I went with some girls to Florida after high school graduation, and my tire blew. So scary! As you can imagine, a bunch of 18 year old girls had no clue what to do, but a good Samaritan helped us out! What a blessing!
October 8th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Oh my goodness, Gail! So glad God was still looking after you and protected you through all this!
It reminded me of when my car just stopped working when I was driving to the wedding rehearsal where my girls were flower girls. No cell phone coverage right there, and I felt so panicked!
Can’t wait to hear about the new baby!
October 8th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
I’m so very very grateful that you are safe!! I love that service…This area has something similary and though I haven’t had the need for them yet, I’m grateful to know that they are cruising the roads to help us all. I’m glad your angel was close by!!
October 8th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
OOOHHH shoot!! I missed you again! Jenny told me that you might be coming through Columbus but I missed you in Tuscaloosa this time! Please keep letting me know when you come through. I would love to meet you!!:) Glad the Lord protected you through all that during your trip! How wonderful that the DOT man helped you out!:)
October 9th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
Oh, gracious! What a trip! I am SO glad our lil’ SC guy helped you! We know how to treat folks out here, ya know, LOL!!
I know you were scared, though. I would have been so upset. Thank God you’re okay!
October 10th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Wow! I’m so glad God was protecting you! And, that is great that SC has that service. I can’t change a flat tire; I’d have done what you were doing-calling hubby many, many miles away and just waiting on the side of the road.
Gosh! I’m so glad you weren’t hurt! 🙂
October 10th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Wow! What a day! I’m so thankful that you were able to get off the road and also thankful for Ed. What a blessing!