Ft. Dix

We arrived with our load at Fort Dix, New Jersey. We entered the first gate and we had to get out of the truck so that it could be X-rayed. We were told that our load had shifted and it was leaning against the door. Really? We had never had a load shift like that before. I wondered how that might have happened.
We got to the next gate where we had to get out of the truck again so that it could be searched. Then we had to park our truck before the next gate and go inside for them to check our credentials. From the time we arrived until we were actually inside the base was over 45 minutes.
We got directions and drove to the building where we were to unload and had to wait for someone to come and sign our paperwork.
While we waited I talked with my stepson, Frankie. They were coming to Philidelphia to pick up our grandson, Derrick. Derrick is being shipped out with the army to Afganistan on May 6th, so he is coming home for a visit before going.
They are staying in a hotel and going to sightsee tomorrow before going home to Confluence.
We thought that maybe if we didn't get a load right away that we would be able to meet up with them.
After we offloaded we drove just a short distance to our place of layover. We were at a truckstop and I was relaxing and reading while Pops took a nap.
We got a few load offers. And accepted one picking up in Newark, NJ going to Indiana.
We drove up to Newark. We were very near the water and really close to the Newark airport. It was a chemical place, we were hauling a hazmat load.
While we were there we kept hearing what sounded like gun shots. We must have heard it at least 20 times. While I was on the phone with our dispatcher, she heard it too and questioned who was shooting and what were they shooting at? I didn't know, but I just wanted to get loaded and get out of there.
We did finally get moving and before long we were moving in the direction of Indiana. We were hauling glue to the place where a famous transparent tape is made.
We got there by noon the next day. It was Friday and we wondered if we were done for the week. We were near Indianapolis at a truckstop and were already thinking about where we would attend church. But we were offered several loads.
Our company was really trying to persuade us to take a load to Canada and we were almost to a agreement on that load when we got an offer picking up nearby and going to Norfolk, VA. We accepted that load and got the load.
We drove to our pickup and were delayed there for about 6 hours before our load was ready. This allowed some time for Pops to catch up on a nap.
Then we were moving again. This load had 3 delivery stops too. All of them were to deliver Monday by 1:30 in the afternoon.
We knew that we had plenty of time and didn't have to rush. But we needed to re-think where we would go to church now.
I had to drive through a sobriety checkpoint on Saturday evening. That was interesting. They had bright lights and policemen all along a stretch of the roadway and they would stop your vehicle every 50 yards or so and ask you questions. I spoke with 3 different policemen and waved through the last two.
We decided that we were going to attend church where a facebook friend of ours goes. We have not yet met Michael face to face but we feel like we know him from our friendships on facebook.
We stopped and showered and then found a rest area to sleep for awhile before church.
The next morning I got up and got the coffee going. Pops was on a conference call with the evangelists and elders from our home church. I took the dogs out and was about to get dressed for church when my phone rang. It was the ringtone that I had assigned to my sister.
As soon as I answered the phone I knew it was bad news. She was sobbing. She told me that she got a call from the administrator of the personal care home where my dad is and that they found him dead in his bed this morning.
I think my heart stopped for a moment right then. And my ears started making a whooshing sound. My sister said that she would call me right back.
I tapped Pops on the arm to get his attention, he was still involved with the conference call. I told him that my dad had died and he told the men. They stopped their meeting and had prayer and then Pops got off the call.
I tried to call my brother but he wasn't answering. So I called his wife's cell phone and told her about dad. I left it up to her to tell Jim.
Then I contacted my sons, Tom and Drew and left them know what had happened.
Pops and I talked about how to get home and when. We did still have a load that had to be delivered.
Starla called next from church. The elders had told her to call me. I told her about her Pap and she was sobbing. She wanted to know when we were coming home. I didn't know yet.
I talked again to my sister and in the meantime she had talked with the coroner. Nothing at all, as far as meeting with him to make arrangements or anything could be started until Monday morning. After talking to her and knowing that she had her family around her and talking with my brother, Pops and I decided to stay with our load, deliver then drive straight home.
Sunday was a long long day, spent quietly with my husband's tender loving care. I received many calls and messages from people. I talked several times with my family and my sister. It was hard not being home but at the same time it gave me time to grieve in private. I think it was good for me.
Please pray for me and my family. We appreciate it.