I had taken the kids to their swim team party in East Mesa. We were only there about 40 minutes when a large storm rolled through and forced us out of the pool. We gleefully ran to our car, trying to escape the sudden pouring rain. When you live in a desert, rain is exciting and a welcome change to the otherwise blaring sun and cloudless skies. We have been having a pretty active monsoon season, and while weather forecasters for the local news make monsoons out to be the great apocalypse, I think most desert rats can't wait for the big storms. And even better if the electricity goes out
So we get in our car and I called Don and told him I thought I would wait out the storm before getting on the road. It seemed after a couple minutes though the rain wasn't so strong, and I was anxious to get home and get dinner so I decided to head out.
I was driving southbound, about to get on the 202 east. I was on autopilot, probably thinking about mundane things like what I had in cupboards that could make a quick dinner, how we still needed to get started on Chloe's homework... And then suddenly as I am approaching the intersection, I see a small car turning left...and they are turning left INTO ME. In that 1 second reaction time I thought...wait, there is no way they can make the turn, what the heck are they doing, maybe I can miss them, no I definitely can't, and holy crap I am going to be in a car accident. And sure enough- BAM. Our cars collided. And just like the movies show it, my car became completely silent, almost still, and I was living in a world of slow motion. It was unlike anything I have ever before experienced. As my car spun out of my control, I thought, how will this end? Is this it? Am I going to die? Are my children going to die? Am I going to crash into something else, and go unconscious and wake up in an ambulance? What is happening with my children in the back? I had no idea. It is amazing in those few seconds the number of thoughts that go through your head. It was an unworldly experience. It is hard to put into words. The experience, although terrifying, I hope with serve as reminder to me about what really matters. To have my family and my children in tact is the only thing that matters. Honestly, everything else is fluff. I am grateful I was spared the tragedies that could have unfolded, had specifics in the crash been different. I find myself throughout the days since the accident, offering my prayers of gratitude. My brother in law, who is a fireman, told me yesterday of some of his work horror stories. Situations very similar to mine, with catastrophic outcomes. I have a pit in my stomach thinking about what could have been. If my car had been t-boned in the front, the outcome would have been very different.
Apparently as I spun out, I also hit another small car. The driver of that car must have also spun out. Thankfully he was also uninjured.
When my car had made a complete stop, it was almost like it took a long, last breath. It smelled strongly of burning rubber. I was surrounded by white, my side airbags had deployed. I hadn't realized during the accident that they had deployed. I thought the muffled popping noise I heard was my eardrum bursting. When that happened I thought, oh no, my ear! But it's okay, I'm still alive, I can deal with it. Turns out my ear is fine, it was only the popping of the air bag. My first thought after we stopped, was my children. I was terrified to look. I heard Oscar crying, and that was a relief. I knew he was alive. I looked at my girls, they blinked slowly at me, and I was overcome with relief to see they were alive. And without a scratch on their bodies. I take that back. Macie was sure to show me her one injury, the strap on her shoes had given or a small scratch. The girls looked like they didn't know what had happened. They had a delayed reaction and didn't cry right away. And perhaps there would have been no tears if I hadn't turned into a complete mess. I stepped out of my car, a group of witnesses made there way to me and began asking me if I was okay. They seemed to be all young men. A grandmother age woman appeared and began consoling me, and that is when I lost it and began sobbing. She told me I needed to be strong for my children...and instructed me to call my husband but if I couldn't do it without crying, she would do it, because she didn't want me to scare my children. (By the way, I appreciate her support...although when someone is in a state of shock, I am not sure adding guilt that you are crying in front of your children, is the best route to go. But whatever. I am sure she was trying her best to be helpful. But I felt kind of stupid. )
After that, Don came and picked us up, we spoke with 2 different officers, who were both very kind to my children and me. The girls were excited, one of the officers brought them some gatorade.
The woman who caused the accident never came over to us. I have no clue what her story is. She was being tested for a DUI and I haven't heard whether she was arrested or not. And in a "things that make you go hmmm"... she has my maiden name.
The female officer gave me a hug as we were getting ready to leave the scene. She got a little emotional as she looked at my car and said, "It just chokes me up to see that..." I believe she was referring to the fact that the impact was just behind Oscar's seat, and my kids all managed to be unharmed.
I will always have a soft spot in my heart for my 2008 Ford Explorer, "The Wedding Car" as named by Macie. It did it's job keeping us safe. My car and our guardian angels did a good job keeping us safe. I am humbled by the tender mercies I undeservingly received.
And now we wait to hear what the insurance company decides to do, I can't imagine our Ford is fixable. In the meantime we are enjoying our rental mini van. The girls are enthralled with the built in dvd player and automatic doors. I don't know, I might have to get a mini van now. My Dad suggested we don't get another car at all, I think he would be happy to know we never had to leave the house ever again. It is either that, or he suggested a Hummer, another practical solution.
I think we all learned some life lessons. It is very true-things can change in an instant. And literally, thank heaven, the only thing that changed is my car and probably our bank account. But I can live with that. I can definitely live with that.
Apparently as I spun out, I also hit another small car. The driver of that car must have also spun out. Thankfully he was also uninjured.
When my car had made a complete stop, it was almost like it took a long, last breath. It smelled strongly of burning rubber. I was surrounded by white, my side airbags had deployed. I hadn't realized during the accident that they had deployed. I thought the muffled popping noise I heard was my eardrum bursting. When that happened I thought, oh no, my ear! But it's okay, I'm still alive, I can deal with it. Turns out my ear is fine, it was only the popping of the air bag. My first thought after we stopped, was my children. I was terrified to look. I heard Oscar crying, and that was a relief. I knew he was alive. I looked at my girls, they blinked slowly at me, and I was overcome with relief to see they were alive. And without a scratch on their bodies. I take that back. Macie was sure to show me her one injury, the strap on her shoes had given or a small scratch. The girls looked like they didn't know what had happened. They had a delayed reaction and didn't cry right away. And perhaps there would have been no tears if I hadn't turned into a complete mess. I stepped out of my car, a group of witnesses made there way to me and began asking me if I was okay. They seemed to be all young men. A grandmother age woman appeared and began consoling me, and that is when I lost it and began sobbing. She told me I needed to be strong for my children...and instructed me to call my husband but if I couldn't do it without crying, she would do it, because she didn't want me to scare my children. (By the way, I appreciate her support...although when someone is in a state of shock, I am not sure adding guilt that you are crying in front of your children, is the best route to go. But whatever. I am sure she was trying her best to be helpful. But I felt kind of stupid. )
After that, Don came and picked us up, we spoke with 2 different officers, who were both very kind to my children and me. The girls were excited, one of the officers brought them some gatorade.
The woman who caused the accident never came over to us. I have no clue what her story is. She was being tested for a DUI and I haven't heard whether she was arrested or not. And in a "things that make you go hmmm"... she has my maiden name.
The female officer gave me a hug as we were getting ready to leave the scene. She got a little emotional as she looked at my car and said, "It just chokes me up to see that..." I believe she was referring to the fact that the impact was just behind Oscar's seat, and my kids all managed to be unharmed.
I will always have a soft spot in my heart for my 2008 Ford Explorer, "The Wedding Car" as named by Macie. It did it's job keeping us safe. My car and our guardian angels did a good job keeping us safe. I am humbled by the tender mercies I undeservingly received.
And now we wait to hear what the insurance company decides to do, I can't imagine our Ford is fixable. In the meantime we are enjoying our rental mini van. The girls are enthralled with the built in dvd player and automatic doors. I don't know, I might have to get a mini van now. My Dad suggested we don't get another car at all, I think he would be happy to know we never had to leave the house ever again. It is either that, or he suggested a Hummer, another practical solution.
I think we all learned some life lessons. It is very true-things can change in an instant. And literally, thank heaven, the only thing that changed is my car and probably our bank account. But I can live with that. I can definitely live with that.
