Thankful...

Thankful that I have two brave (and limber) little ones and a heroic husband.

Thankful that I decided to go with a prescription, and not a shot, from the doctor so that Rich was in town picking it up causing me to have the truck, and not the car, and for him to be close by.

Thankful that my husband is a first responder so that he was one of the first on the scene instead of trying to fight through traffic to get to us...even though he didn't know it was us when he got the page.

Thankful that I didn't see it coming and tense up, so I'm not nearly as sore as I could be.

Thankful that I wasn't pushed into oncoming traffic.

Thankful for a truck bed that took the brunt of the impact.  (I'm going to miss the truck though!)

Thankful that the other girl is okay and that she is a good kid that just got distracted at the wrong time.

Thankful for our small town and how caring and helpful everyone was...from the bystanders to the first responders...they're truly some of the best!

SO MUCH to be thankful for after Thursday night.  It could have been so much different than it was and I know that God was watching over us even in the little things...I'm even thankful for my pesky cold in a round about way! ;-)

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As you have probably inferred, the kids and I were in an accident Thursday night.  I always think of being rear-ended as being a fender bender, but I know now that isn't always so! I was taking Morgan to dance class, which is across the road from the high school at 5:00 Thursday night.  Between it being the main road in town, people getting off work, out of practices and the beginning of games that area can get a little crazy!  Well, I stopped with the left blinker on, waiting for 2 vehicles to pass from the other direction before I could turn into the parking lot.  Next thing I know we were hit.  HARD.

When I knew what happened, my first thought was to get off the road (the kids were already talking to me so I assumed they were fine), but I'm not sure how I did it...I think the truck had shut off, but I got off onto the shoulder somehow.  I had initially looked in my rear view mirror to see what was behind me that caused it, but all I saw was a cloud of smoke, which I now know was a powder from the other vehicle's airbags.  Once I was off the road and I turned around, I saw that the kids were indeed okay, that the bed of our truck was no longer flat and that the vehicle behind me was green (a Jeep), but didn't look like I'm sure it used to 5 seconds earlier.

The kids asked me what happened.  I'm not sure what I said...either that we were in an accident or that we were rear-ended.  The next thing they said was that Daddy was going to be mad that his truck was broke.  LOL!  Then it hit them and they cried, but only for a few seconds.  Morgan mentioned that she bumped her head, but it was fine...just a little sore/bruised from where the flower was on her hair tie.

I got out of the truck.  Not sure why I did that either, but I think it was to find a phone.  I called one of the dance moms over (that I really didn't know and only half met the week before) who had heard the crash and came out to see what happened.  I saw she had a phone and asked if I could call my husband.  (I don't have a cell phone in case you're wondering.)  I didn't get an answer and hoped it was because Rich was already on his way.  The dance mom helped me get the kids out and we were going to get them to dance class and out of the commotion until we realized the kids and I would need to be checked out by the Paramedic/EMT.  We stopped in the parking lot and waited for the Paramedic to come to us.  I remember asking if the Fire Department was on the way and she gave me a funny look.  Thinking back she probably wondered if I was hoping to 'meet' someone because I had forgotten to wear my wedding band when I left the house-LOL!  I told her my husband was on the department and then she looked more understanding-LOL!

Within seconds, it seemed, the Fire Department was there and Rich was by my, and the kids, side. (Of course he looked very heroic as he approached us...okay? ;-)  )  He didn't know that the call was us, being he didn't get my phone call.  He saw the truck on the shoulder with the hazard lights on as they approached the scene and thought I had witnessed the accident.  When they came up alongside the truck, he saw the damage...

The kids went to dance and their amazing dance teacher took care of them for me well beyond the half hour it should have been.  I waited around as they took my license and insurance info.  I sat down a lot....don't know why, but I felt like I needed to.  I got teased by one of Rich's best buddies on the department about my license picture.  (Thanks!  I was pregnant at the time of that picture!  LOL!)  One of Rich's parents' best friends, that we actually call 'uncle', happened to be at a soccer game and walked over to make sure it wasn't his older son in the accident.  He stayed with us for a while.  I went in to check on the kids.

Some of the family of the girl that hit us came over in that time as well.  That's when I found out she was one of our town's star athletes being on the World Champion Little League team from last year.  (HUGE thing in a small town!  You may remember me blogging about it?)  I'd heard her name a million times, but never thought I'd be 'running into' her in that way (bad pun-sorry!)  From what I understand, she didn't see us. I didn't hear any squealing before the accident and there were no skid marks...she hit us at 45 mph while we were at a stand still...

There was SO MUCH that happened, I'm sure I'd bore you with it all.  So afterwards, the fire chief offered for us to ride back to the hall in the fire truck, which the kids loved and it isn't every day that the accident victims get to ride in the fire engine!  As we passed our mechanic's shop, I mentioned that at least we didn't have to worry about getting the truck aligned now.  Rich was thankful that we're terrible about waiting until the last minute to fill the truck's gas tank...it was basically empty at the time!  The fire chief also gave the kids each two glow sticks that they usually hand out on Halloween and he gave me one too for being a 'big girl'.  LOL! 

Rich had taken the day off from work Friday, but had been asked to come in earlier in the week.  Turns out they didn't need him until later, so he was able to help take the kids to school and we were able to get pics of the truck.  We also ran to get Rich's brother's new truck.  He's in the Marines in California and isn't using it, so thankfully we can borrow it until we get a new one.  I spent a lot of that day on the phone.  As things hit me as to how the accident could have turned out different, I cried tears of thanks.  After the kids came home from school life kinda got back to normal, although Rich is away for the weekend for the Fireman's Memorial.  As much as I want to be tough, something inside me wanted him to be home, just for comfort.  We're all okay, though, so there was no reason that he should have changed his plans.

In the past two days I've run into many people that were there and didn't know it was us.  Before the fire department blocked the road, there was so much traffic trying to get through that at least two people I came across since Thursday had went right by us.  Others were re-routed after the road was blocked.  As I said, small town and a lot going on that night!

Again, I'm very thankful and after looking at the pictures you'll see that the cab of the truck looks nearly perfect.  We can't get the passenger side back door to open, but that's about it for the cab.  If we had the car, it might be a totally different story...

 

 

 

 

Even though the appraiser won't be out to look at it until Monday, anyone who has looked at the frame says it should be totaled. :-(  It'll be sad seeing it go, but if they say a car seat isn't safe after it's been in an accident, a twisted up frame being straightened sure can't be safe either, right?

 

Blake put in his 2 cents and wants a blue truck.  I kinda like the grey color I'm currently driving.  Rich hasn't mentioned a color preference, but wants a bigger one-LOL!  As long as we're getting a new vehicle, we do know it is going to be another truck. :-)

 

I think I'll finish with that, but if you'd like, please say a little prayer of thanks to God for protecting us, and the other girl, during the accident.  God truly is AWESOME!