Sunday, March 7, 2010 4:51 am

We couldn't sleep. We knew the chicks had hatched on Friday and had been shipped on Saturday. I had contacted the main dispatch center an hour and a half away on Friday to let them know we were expecting a shipment of chicks and to call us immediately when they came in. The longer it takes for the chicks to make it to their final destination, the higher chance there may be some casualties along the way. We couldn't handle that. The dispatch lady let me know that they occasionally came in at 2 in the morning and wanted to know if we wanted a call. I told her absolutely...So that's why we couldn't sleep. We knew the call could have come at any hour.
Between 15 and 30 minute cat naps, I awoke at 4:51 am. I couldn't believe we hadn't got a phone call yet. So I called them. I knew the little guys had to be there, and that the dispatch center was manned 24 hours a day. A nice old guy named Mr. Peacock answered the phone. I explained to him about my chicks, and he said there was a box of chicks and he went to see if they were mine. They were! I asked him if we could come get them, and he said sure. The dispatch center was an hour and a half away. We were on the road by 5am. I know we had clothes on...but I can't guarantee teeth were brushed or hair was untangled...
P slept on the way there, and I tried to watch my speed while I watched the sun come up. Starbucks had to be passed...they weren't open at 5am on a Sunday.
When we got there I was glad it was fairly light enough outside, and the parking lot wasn't deserted. There was a phone by a door that could only be accessed with a badge. I picked it up, and it connected me to Mr. Peacock. He asked me what door I was at, and then he laughed at me when I said, "The locked one with the phone." He said someone would bring me my chicks and we hung up and waited. We were in our sweats and slippers and waited for what seemed like 15 minutes, although I am sure it was less than 3. We even giggled about trying our work badges on the scanners to see if we could get in.
An older lady carried a tiny box to the door. She handed it to Patty and mentioned how cute they were. We could hear the faint peep peep and P lifted a corner of the tiny box. They were so tiny. 26 little fluff balls in a tiny little box. They also stunk like 26 little bodies that had been crammed in a small space. I herded P and the little box to the Tahoe and we climbed in. I was so nervous they hadn't all made it. She opened the box lid all the way and we looked in. It was impossible to count them accurately in such a cramped space, but we did verify they were all alive! I got back on the road for the drive home, and P began cooing to them that she was their mother, and that they would love her the most!!! I knew I should have made her drive!!! I called to them that I loved them too, and that I too was their mother... Well everytime we opened the lid they started pecking eachother...P was mortified and tapped one on the head for pecking her sister. I explained to her that's what they do, and she closed the lid for the rest of the ride home.
We hurried into the house and took them to the bedroom. I told Patty it was her job to count while I pulled them out one at a time, dipped their beaks in water. She was so excited, she forgot that was her job several times....but we were pretty sure all 26 were there. We watched them, and pet them. They started guzzling water...and came when we called them with food..."Here chick chick chick." They all looked healthy, all though a little weary from the trip. So we made sure they had everything they needed and layed down for a nap.