So, from my last post, you saw we had a plan. NTB could fix the van and we were stuck for several hours waiting on my parents to come with both their cars to take us back to their house.  What to do, what to do…

Eating sounded.  Although Mark and I had very little appetite from the emotional stress of being stranded.  Right next door was a Chick-fil-a.  Of sorts.  It was called Truett’s Grill and had a sit down service type restaurant in it.  It was very pretty, clean, and had a neat toy train that ran all the way around the store (near the ceiling).  And the kids could push the button to make the train go (they pushed it so often, I think they almost broke it).  It also had a jukebox playing great oldies!  We ate, enjoyed a/c, and got refueled.  I say refueled but Liam continued to run on fumes…which mean the was ultra hyper.

As we left the restaurant, I checked my phone for messages from my parents and saw we had a voicemail. It was the mechanic.  Mark talked to him and he said he would probably have the vehicle finished by 8.  It was 6.  He was the brother, who left work at another NTB store to come across Atlanta to help us.  He went to the warehouse, checked out the parts, and started working on the van.  The bad thing was that it was going to cost a little more because it had nothing to do with the brakes.  It had to do with the wheel.  Bearings in the wheel had come loose (and flown out…which was the thud thud we heard as we drove over them), causing lots of other issues.  However, it was a quick fix, and the parts were available and he was willing to stay late, away from his family, to help us get home.

 So, I contacted my parents, with the plan they would come on, the kids and I would return to their house and Mark would hang out until it was fixed.  We walked around several of the stores nearby (thanking God there were places to go so the kids wouldn’t be bored and try to tear up the NTB waiting room).  We were heading to our second store at about 6:45 when Mark gets another call.  The van was almost finished.  What?!?  Woohoo!  I called my parents to tell them to turn around.  We were going home!  However, they were already there.  They drove by the store we were at and took Mark to NTB while the kids and I went to Target to feast on icees (for them) and a nice double chocolate something or other ice cream (for me).  By the time we were finished, Mark pulled up in our Crimson Cruiser and he and I both thanked God for all of His provision that day…

especially when he talked to the mechanic who told him that our wheel (not just the tire…the entire wheel) was about to fall off.  Any more waiting and we would have not only been stranded but probably seriously hurt.  If we had been on the interstate…well, there’s no telling.  We are all too aware of how God provided for us this day and wanted to share!