01-09-09......the day my perspective changed.

2 years ago today, (1-9-09), God literally saved our lives.

Some of us could have died that day.

You might remember that was the day I T-boned an SUV that ran a red light. I was driving about 55 MPH & I never saw him.

BUT….had the timing been milliseconds different, WE would have been T-boned-right where Natty was sitting.

Thank the Lord, the kids were all fine except for Ruth biting her tongue & Natty chipping a tooth. Ana also was pretty sore from her seatbelt.

I, being the driver, of course, tangled w/ the airbag & did get a pretty severe burn on my wrist from it. I had the wind knocked out of me. Ana had to call 911, & at age 7, was able to tell the operator where we were located.

The small scar you see in the above picture is something I’m thankful for. At first, I tried to minimize the scar……then I decided to use it as a daily reminder of God’s grace. Each time I look at it, I am reminded that:
1. God chose to spare our lives.
2. He also spared us major injury.
3. He DAILY protects us-not just then!
4. I am reminded that each moment is a gift-& we have no guarantee we will live to see tomorrow.

Now, to be totally honest, there are a few other lingering effects as well. I still don’t like that intersection (& God must have a sense of humor, since I have to drive through it more than twice a week! Ha!) I especially avoid flying through it at 55 MPH, & I really feel claustrophobic driving in the right lane through it. I also notice that I still naturally grip the steering wheel w/ two hands as I approach it & drive through!

I also am still jumpy on the highway when there’s lots of traffic & someone else is driving (in other words-someone who’s driving I can’t control).

Thankfully, the kids have returned to normal-but it took a while. Ruth cried/fussed in the car for months before she got over it. Ana kept all her fears inside-bottled up to deal w/ on her own. Poor girl. I week or so later, we started having daily times of drawing pictures of the accident & writing out her feelings about it. That helped-she cried many tears then & got many emotions out in the open.

All in all, we have much to be thankful for…..& we are doing much better.
But, in our house, the date 01-09-09 shall “live in infamy.”

A Year Has Passed…….& I find it hard to believe……

That one year ago-I got the biggest wake-up call of my life.

As I drove up to pick up my nephew from school, I never expected to instead have an appointment with a serious & life-threatening car accident.

But, that’s the way it is with those kinds of things-you never expect them, really.

If we had been going just a slightly different speed, one of the children or I could have been killed with the impact of the other truck hitting our van.

But, instead, my Loving Heavenly Father spared everyone’s lives & today, I am happy to say, all the children have returned to normal-although it took Ruthie MONTHS to not be scared in the van. Petrified every time we got in, actually.

The “littles” still say, “Mommy, be careful,” every time we have to stop too quickly, but other than that, the kids seem to be fine.

But, me, on the other hand-I still have a ways to go.

I have to drive through the same intersection several times a week now-as Ana attends a part-time charter school on that side of town.

I STILL find myself breathing harder, & gripping the steering wheel with both hands, especially if there are other cars around me, or if the weather is foggy, & snowy (like it was that day).




Every day, I look at this (our crushed license plate) as I hang up my coat, & I often stop to thank My Father He chose to spare us, & give me more chances to love my kids & hubby.

"Thank-you, Lord, again for Your daily protections of us. May I never take life for granted."

Here is a link to the month of January 2009, when the accident & recovery occurred.

(Later this week, I will use this post as part of Steady Mom's "30 minutes or less" Challenge. I completed it in 28 minutes-including the editing of the picture!)