After feeling so GREAT about all that we had been blessed with, we were blessed with trials. Unfortunately, these trials took away what we had worked so long and hard for. We kept the Lord close to us in our decisions. We knew the home we leased, the car we bought, the job we accepted were in line with what we felt were acceptable. Believe me, we had looked at other homes (for the last 3 months and especially the last week); we had turned down other job offers that we did not get a good confirmation for; we did not get better or cheaper cars we found. So, this week was a big blow! I still maintain our confirmations were right because if we didn't follow through, Abigail, the unborn baby and/or I wouldn't have lived and we wouldn't have found out what we needed to find out in order to get things corrected.
On with the stories ...
Monday, 1.10.11 the day started out great! Dylan was so excited to start his new school. We all went over with him, dropped him off, met the teacher, and kissed him goodbye. Dad went off to work. I went to work as normal, my afternoon break came as normal. I packed up Abigail in the 4Runner so we could make my 8 month prenatal doctor appt.
It was the first real snow storm we've seen in Missouri. On our way to the appointment, 15 miles away, I used all the same precautions I would normally use in any snow storm. I went slow, kept distance between other cars and myself, did not accelerate or brake too quickly, all the same techniques you learn and employ through years of driving in wet conditions. We had been warned that out here ice freezes first before snow sticks, regardless. So I was trying to be that much more careful since I hadn't driven these conditions before. I got on the first of 2 freeways heading towards my destination. I was going 20 mph below the speed limit, staying in the right lane which looked more plowed than the left which still had snow drifts and hadn't been plowed as lately as the right lane. Much to my surprise, I started fish tailing. I began correcting myself and of course, that is normal. My disaster driving training from high school kicked in and I started employing those techniques to allow the car to correct itself rather than me making it worse by "correcting." Then, it got worse. I heard a big "LET GO" so I did. We did a 360 degree turn and started to slow down. By now I was in the left lane, looking at on-coming traffic (luckily, there was none) and my hind hit the edge of the ditch that separates the Southbound traffic from the Northbound traffic. Once my slowing car hit that edge, it was over. I remember thinking, "Here we go." We landed on the driver's side, flipped once, twice and ended upside down.
Immediately, I went into crisis mode. I unbuckled my seatbelt and let myself fall to the ... roof, my foot was stuck (probably between the seat and the dashboard). I started panicking and heard a voice helping me to calm down. I stopped, breathed, unloosed my foot and climbed out my driver's side window. There were no windows left and I didn't notice the blood streaming down my arm. I felt a slight soreness on my head where the roof and my head connected on that first flip. My first thought, get to Abigail, get her out, check for leaking gas, call for help.
I rushed to the other side of the car where Abigail was screeching and I offered her comfort. She stopped screeching and allowed me to help unbuckle her and get her out from dangling upside down. I helped her crawl out of her window, check her over for injury and we started backing up away from the upside down wreckage of my new car! I heard a whizzing sound that I couldn't pin-point but before I could realize it was the tire losing air, a herd of strapping men came to my rescue and one sweet young lady with a toddler of her own who had pulled over and asked me to let my toddler sit in her car out of the cold. Once Abigail was gone I felt myself panic. All I could do was look for my purse for my phone and all I could think was to call my husband. The men started gathering things that had flown out of the car at some point, calling for help, and calming me down. Shock had started to settle in. As I was saying I needed my phone, one man gave me his and said not to worry about the blood. I still didn't notice. I called Darin. I left a message.
A local police officer was walking towards me. I started telling my story, looking for my car ins, my driver's license. At that point one of the men found my purse. It had flown 20 feet away from the wreck. I was summoned to the other side of the street to the car that had my sweet daughter in it who was just staring. I sucked up my panic and poked my head in. Gave her a smile and comforted her more. She wasn't crying, wasn't ... much of anything. She just stared and stared at me for any indication about how to react. Very surreal. I was pulled to the rear of the car where I could get the blood traced. Where was it coming from. I let them know I was 8 months pregnant. I noticed then how much I was shaking, how much blood was all over my coat. It didn't hurt. Surprising. My head hurt. How'd that get there!? It's a big goose egg.
Someone found my phone! It was in pieces, wet and unusable. I was given another phone to use, the police officer's. I called Darin over and over and over again. I called my boss - I had to let him know, I wasn't coming back in for the day, please let my students know. I called my Mom, please call Darin!! I called Uncle Bruce, please come pick me up. I denied an ambulance and signed ... something to that affect. What would I do with an ambulance? I have a toddler in shock, all I have is a goose egg and glass in my hand. A hospital would not be a good place for my girl. All in all, I'm fine. My husband will come and take me to the hospital. All I want is my husband. All I want is these questions to be over. All I want is these hands and helpers to know how grateful I am and to no more be needed. All I want is my husband. I want to throw this coat away! I want to go to the store now and buy new car seats. I want to purge myself of this trauma. It is unwanted and unneeded!
Finally, I saw a tow truck. How'd they get the car flipped back right? I missed it. Did I have the car seats out of the car? Yes. Was there anything else in the car I needed? Well, no. I hadn't had a chance to move into the car since we bought it only 3 days ago! Did I have insurance? Well, of course I do, but I hadn't had the chance to call my insurance company and formally add this new car. We bought the car after business hours on Friday! Finally, the questions were over. The police officer took me down the road to where Uncle Bruce was waiting for us. I started to cry - suck it up! Not yet! Abigail is still staring. I look back at her. Smile. Say something, anything! "Wow, honey! That was ... interesting!? You ok?" "Yes, Mommy."
Uh, oh. Uncle Bruce! He loves us! I see the concern in his eyes. He gives us bear hugs. Suck back the tears. Not yet! He doesn't know how to help. He ushers Abigail in the car. We say thank you to the police. Bruce wants to take me to the hospital. No. I need my husband. I will go into his place of work if I have to and retrieve him. He's the only one that can make this all go away!! We are two blocks from his work. He calls! Thank heaven! He got my messages, my Mom's messages. He leaves work. He sees me and doesn't show any emotion. Thank heaven or I would lose it. Uncle Bruce lets us know he will take Abigail, no question about it. We can come get her later.
On the way to the hospital, all Darin says is "That's the best $5,000 I've ever spent." I lose it.
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