Once in a lifetime.....

What I'm about to share with you now is an amazing, once in a lifetime story. You have to read this post, even if you usually don't read any of them! I'm not sure how often this really happens but for me, I would imagine that it NEVER happens. Hold on to your seat....here it is.........



So, let me begin by telling you the premise for our being here taking pictures on the train tracks. My mom and I decided to go visit my Grandma Alice with my two children, Mckelsie and Jayden. During our quick day visit, my Grandma Alice needed to rest for a little bit after our lunch trip out. My mom, the kids and I decided to go get icecream to allow quiet for my Grandma to rest. After getting the icecream we drove around the small town while my mom pointed out various places of her childhood memories. We drove by one house and now I can't even remember who my Mom said it had belonged to at one time. The house was tattered, worn and pretty much dumpy. At the end of the road just past the house was the railroad tracks. We decided to drive down so that I could take some pictures of the kids on the tracks as I've always wanted to do that. We pulled over and Jayden and I got out of the car. Mckelsie didn't want to take any pictures (no surprise there....). Jayden and I walked over to the tracks where I proceeded to take some pictures of Jayden on and near the tracks.

While snapping a few pictures we realized that there was an approaching train. We could hear the whistle and see the distant light on the front of the train. I told Jayden we would stay so we could watch the train sail by. We backed just far enough way that I knew we'd be safe and wouldn't freak the driver out.

I took a few photos of Jayden as the train approached.

As the train came upon us, it seemed to be going quite slow. The driver's hand waved out from the small window on the engine. We both waved back in wonder and excitement as neither of us had ever been so close to a moving train. Jayden and I wondered if it was going to stop because it was going to slow. We stood and I remember watching the huge wheels going slower and slower. IT STOPPED!!!!! Right in front of us! No lie! I was shocked! Again we saw the driver's hand out of the small window wave us over to the front of the train just feet from where we stood. I told Jayden to run and I followed. The driver INVITED Jayden up onto the train. Yes, INVITED him up! I couldn't believe it!

(This is where I wished I would've gotten more pictures....)

Mckelsie ran over from the car to join me at the side of the train. The driver yelled from the little window beckoning Mckelsie and I to climb the huge steps on the front of the train up to the cab to join Jayden. It was so cool! They stopped just for us, let us up in the train, showed us all the gagets, computer systems and told us a bit about the train. It was carrying 117 cars behind it! There were two guys and they both were so kind!

I didn't want to overstay our welcome and so probably rushed out sooner than they would've shooed us away. We thanked them many times over! I got a picture of Mckelsie and Jayden going out of the door on the front of the train. I'm sure all of us had the biggest smiles while getting off and walking away from the train. We waved and stood still in awe of what just happened.

Side note: If I had been able to think more clearly, I would've asked one of the guys on the train for his number or tried to ask him more questions. He was a young guy and was so cute! Dang, that would've been a great story to tell people how we met!