The Cow in the Road

Yesterday, we went to a teaching by Bill Cloud in Waco with the kids and another couple from down the street. The speaker was long but good. One thing he talked about was the protection that YHWH gives to his people. He gave a personal example of how last April when many tornadoes hit near his home town--7 in one day in his county alone--that one tornado in particular skipped over their neighborhood. The tornado had originated in another state, was half a mile wide, and had traveled for thirty miles prior to getting to about 400 yards from his house. It lifted up, went over a large section of his neighborhood to about 400 yards beyond his home where it again touched back down. The tornado then continued for another twelve miles. He made it very clear that he doesn't consider himself special or that he was saved for something special that he did but to make the point that He does provide protection for those following His path. (Yes, I know that bad things DO happen to good people but bear with me.)
On the way home from Waco, we came upon an accident. We were on Highway 84 a few miles past the split with Highway 31. It appeared that a truck had hit a VERY large cow that was now lying in the middle of the road. There were only a few cars stopped at that point and no emergency responders yet. Dimples pulled over behind a black truck, got out and crossed over to the other side to check on the people that had hit the cow. He came back very quickly and told us that the people didn't speak English. I decided to get out and so did my friend. (She has an extensive background in natural medicine.) Fearless Leader also got out then so did Peace Keeper. I told them to get back in the car, Peace Keeper did, but Fearless Leader argued with me. I had to be very firm with him and wasn't sure if he really had gotten back in. A white truck pulled in and parked behind our van.
We crossed the road and had just gotten to the group from the truck when we all realized that a vehicle was coming--VERY FAST! We started waving frantically, and there was someone up the road just a bit waving a flashlight as well, but the truck didn't slow at all. As it got nearer to us, it pulled to the middle of the road and hit the cow causing the vehicle, a blue truck, to jump a little and head straight toward the parked cars on the opposite side of the road--my van now between two trucks, and my husband standing just behind our van.
I screamed and my friend was screaming, "NO! NO!" as we watched in slow motion.
The blue truck fish tailed a bit, over-corrected and was heading straight toward the black truck. We could tell they would meet head on at about the drivers' side headlights. We both knew that the blue truck would smash the black truck, push it back into our van, scrape down the side of both, and push our van into the white truck. I knew my husband would be between the van and white truck. That is what SHOULD have happened. But it didn't.
The blue truck did strike the black truck head on just to the middle of the drivers' side headlights. The front of the black truck turned toward the ditch as the blue truck "bounced" (for lack of a better term) out just slightly away from the rear end of the truck. We screamed as the blue truck skidded, sparking and smoking, past our van, then "bounced" back to grate down the driver's side of the white truck. The blue truck finally came to rest in the ditch about a hundred feet past the last impact.
I ran across the road to chaos. There were five people in the black truck, a man who was in the driver's seat, a lady, two teenage girls and a young girl around five. The females were screaming. My three kids and the husband of my friend were climbing out of the van, shaken but mostly calm. I couldn't find Dimples. I told the kids to get back in the car, buckle up and not move. Fearless Leader argued and argued but finally got in. My friend was assessing the girls from the black truck. I grabbed napkins and took them over and began trying to assess who was injured as well. There was screaming coming from all around us and the smell of burning rubber filled my nose and throat. To keep myself as calm as possible, I began to mentally go through first aid instructions. I glanced up to see Dimples standing in the grass near us on the phone with 911. Relief!
I got the kids out of the van and moved them further into the ditch huddling together. More people were walking around trying to help by this point. One lady was going around asking if people were hurt; I realized her nose was bleeding. She was on the phone and I was trying to ask her if she was hurt. She said that her truck was down there in the ditch. I looked where she was pointing, and it was the blue truck. I tried to walk her to the grass to sit down, but she was trying to tell someone on the phone what happened. She kept saying she was okay and finally squatted down on the side of the road. I left her with someone and went back to check on my kids and the people from the black truck.
Finally, I could hear sirens. First responders began showing up, then police and fire rescue. The highway was (finally!) blocked off and EMT began making rounds. My kids told us that something had hit the front of the van and rocked it. Upon inspection, our tire had a bubble in the side wall but no other damage.
The black truck in front of us had no front tire. It had been ripped off. The driver's door was crumpled in and the windows on that side broken out, the front windshield was cracked into tiny pieces, and the air bags had deployed. The white truck behind us was smashed all down the driver's side.
We learned that there had actually been two vehicles prior to the blue truck that had hit the cow. Her calf had also been hit sometime earlier by an eighteen wheeler an officer reported. There were five vehicles that had been totaled and had to be towed but unbelievably only minor injuries. The lady from the blue truck did go to the hospital, but the EMTs believe she only had minor injuries as well.
Over two hours later, we had given statements to an officer, and Dimples was able to change the front tire. As we hobbled home on our spare, we spoke about the miraculous occurrence. There is just no natural explanation as to how the blue truck missed our van and Dimples. After passing through Mexia, incredibly we saw TWO MORE COWS out on the highway. Dimples swung around to go back toward them, honking. The cows ran up through a gate, and he followed them, honking the whole way. I called 911 to report it. There didn't appear to be anyone at the house. We waited around for about ten minutes and finally left because a sheriff hadn't shown up. I do hope those cows stayed in the gate, and/or the sheriff located them and got them penned up. All in all, it was an adrenaline rich trip--one I hope not to repeat.

Pennies From Heaven

I really am about to burst with the news of yesterday's events, but it took me a while to work out all my thoughts. God blessed us yesterday (well, everyday, but I'm going to tell you about the big news.) First, Justice Seeker had NO cavities! And then my mom got a new(er) van. Ok, my mom getting a new van when I'm without a vehicle doesn't sound like a blessing for me, BUT they gave me their old van for Christmas!!!
Now, to explain about all the vehicle troubles. It actually started over a year and a half ago--April 18 to be exact. I was rear-ended while sitting at a stop light, and it totaled my van. (That word "totaled" looks really weird to me. huh) I borrowed money to buy another one which I HATE to do, same year but different make/model/options (not as many as the other one, but it ran and I could kinda afford it.) The insurance company FINALLY paid a year and a half later after I fought with them over the condition of the van. They said the engine was in bad shape, and I said that it wasn't because my husband is a mechanic and worked on it himself. They said they wanted receipts, I told them to come look at my garage and 40 ft storage container with all my husband's automotive parts in it. I also told them that he's trained by the Air Force and since they're the best, (sorry Kingdom Mama!) he definately knows what he's doing and is certified.....and on and on. I finally settled for MUCH less than what should have been paid but enough to pay the loan.
ANYWAY.... In January, the (newer, but definately NOT new) van broke down (and for the life of my I can't remember what was wrong with it,) and it needed new tires. Then in June, the heads cracked (no, I don't know what that is, I'm just telling you what I was told.) And then a few weeks back the check engine light came on, and it sounded like something was going to fall out from under the car. I don't really know if that's possible, but I sure didn't want to find out. (And Dimples, if you're reading this, you do NOT have to call to explain all of the fine points of this to me. I won't remember anyway--not by choice, but seriously, it's like a foreign language to me.)
Back to the vehicles..... There is also in my possession a horribly, huge, ugly, and dirty a rather large double-cab dually. You know the old adage about the cobbler's son? Well, the same principle applies to mechanic's vehicles. As long as it runs well.....except the dually doesn't exactly do that either. We got some tires changed out on the big thing (thanks to Fearless Leader) and the batteries charged up so it would start (thaks to Fearless Leader) but it wouldn't hold a charge (by no fault of Fearless Leader.) So we (ok actually it was Fearless Leader, I just helped pull up some belt thingy for him) changed the altenator then got the battery changed. (Did you know some big enormous trucks have two (!!!!) batteries???) But PTL the one that needed changing was the one still under warranty! I was driving around the huge monstrosity until it started dying when I would slow down, and thus left me vehicleless which brings my story full circle.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU God for wonderful parents who helped fill a need! And as soon as I figure out how to publish pics in the blog, I'll show you my beautiful new van. Maybe I should have titled this "Vehicles From Heaven."
And BTW, if you're curious, Fearless Leader is 14. :o)

Vehicle Blessings

I've been without a vehicle (sort of)  for a few weeks now. BOTH the van and truck have decided that they are tired of hauling us all over the country-side. And of course, Dimples isn't here to take them apart and put them back together again, like new. My dad came and picked me up on Wednesday and took me home for Thanksgiving, and now I'm borrowing their van. Before that my dear, dear friends were loaning me their farm truck which got me from the house to appointments and such but we weren't certain it would get me all the way home or not (and I guess I probably needed to get back to Brown House as well.) Thank you God for dear friends and family that are willing to help out in a time of need.
Now, a story from the past.
Dimples and I hadn't been dating very long. One VERY COLD (well, below freezing, icy, etc. Yes, I know I'm in Texas, but it does occassionally get cold here.) Saturday, he decided my thermostat was broken and needed to be changed because the heater wasn't working well and it was getting bad gas mileage. (I'm not sure what the thermostat has to do with gas mileage, so don't send me your car questions. I'm sure it's been explained to me in minute detail, but all I can tell you what color it is. ;o) So he stood out in  the freezing weather while I stayed snug inside. A little while later he came in and anounced it was fixed. And let me tell you, the heater worked GREAT and I DID get better gas mileage. That was one of the first times that I thought, "I could love that man!" And I do.