Merry Christmas To Us!

I went down to Riverdale yesterday to go to breakfast with some friends. It started to snow so I decided that I better get home before it got too bad. I got on the freeway at 31st street. And the roads weren’t the best, as I passed the 24th street exit I thought maybe I should have taken the back roads. That’s when it happened. As I came up on the 21st street exit, there was a red car that had spun out of control in front of me in my lane. I slowed down and moved over so I wouldn’t hit them; I had control of the Jeep for a split second then I hit ice and started to fish tail. I tried to get control but as I got closer and closer to the median with cement barriers, I knew I was done for. I smashed the driver’s side front end into the cement, and both air bags deployed. I hit with so much impact, that it bounced me back into traffic, and another vehicle hit me. At this point I didn’t see what hit me. The Jeep rolled (on its tires) to a stop in the area between the exit and the freeway. The first thing I did was check my face; it’s what hurt the worst. I thought that maybe the airbag burned me or my nose was bleeding or something. I was fine, my knee hurt, but other than that I felt fine. While I was still in the Jeep I called the Anderson’s because Braden was supposed to be there, and he had forgotten his cell phone. Next I called Ricky because he was the closest and he could come get me. I got out of the Jeep and everyone was concerned but after awhile they seemed overly concerned, I couldn’t figure out why. The driver of the other vehicle that hit me came up and asked, “Are you ok?” I said, “Yeah. Are you?” He replied, “Yeah, I didn’t feel a thing.” Then I got really confused, and why didn’t he feel a thing? Oh yeah he was driving a dump truck! I about passed out, no wonder everybody was overly concerned, I had just gotten out of a smashed to pieces Jeep, after being hit by a dump truck. I couldn’t believe it; I kept asking myself how am I standing here. Well the cops and fire truck came. I warmed up in the fire truck and then was moved to the back of the police cruiser like some criminal. Ricky got there right as the wrecker did, and the cop wanted to go down to the Pilot on 12th street to finish all the paper work. The dump truck had driven down there to wait. Well I just stayed in the cruiser, and after I got there Ricky informed me that he was driving with his lights on like he was transporting a prisoner. No wonder everyone was staring. Well we went over to the dump truck as the cop was finishing up the paperwork. I did a pretty good number on it, considering. I was surprised I thought that he was just going to drive away. I pushed in his bumper and caused the left front tire to go flat. I also broke a metal thing on his truck; I think it’s for when they cover their load. Anyway, then we were talking to him and we got the story about what happened after I hit the wall. I remember being hit again and that’s about it. He said I bounced back and he was trying to move over. He hit my passenger front end with his driver’s side front bumper, which then caused me to swing around and hit the back passenger side of the Jeep right by his back tires on the driver’s side. Well I didn’t get a ticket but blame was put on me, because I should have stayed in my lane. The red car that caused the problem got off the exit and drove away. Nice! There were so many other accidents at this same time, that the cop would call in to check on stuff or see about the wrecker, and they had to keep saying are you talking about the truck that hit the sign, or the car that rolled. The dispatchers couldn’t keep it straight.

So I walked away with 1 really hurt knee, some other bruises on my legs, a bruise on my chest from my seat belt, and a little mark/skinned chin from the air bag. And of course I’m so achy this morning I can barley move. I was very blessed. On our way home last night Braden told me that this was either a blessing in disguise or just another trial, either way we’ll get through it.
I totaled the Jeep. Braden has wrecked it twice before, apparently third time’s a charm. When I called the Anderson’s, while I was still in the car, Bruce answered. I was still really shaken up. I told him I was in a really bad car accident. He didn’t know who I was; he thought I sounded like Sherin. He asked and I told him who I was, he asked me if I was ok, and where I was. I said I was fine, but I totaled the Jeep. And that I was on I-15. I didn’t know for sure that I had totaled the Jeep; I hadn’t gotten out yet to even look at the damages. But there was no doubt in my mind, after hitting the cement and someone else hitting me that it couldn’t be. Here are some pictures of our poor Jeep that will be gone forever.

I know that my mom was there with me helping me through, and calming me down enough to make calls and talk to the police. I couldn’t believe how fast I had calmed down. I was still shaken, but I could function. Last night while I said my prayers and thanked Heavenly Father that I hadn’t decided to take Joye with me that day, and thanked him for blessing me and letting me get out and walk away with only minor, minor injuries. Our family has been so blessed this Christmas, we may be down to only 1 working vehicle, but at least I will be spending Christmas with my kids, and Braden, conscious, in my own home and not unconscious in the hospital

Ricky and my dad went with us over to the tow truck place to clean the Jeep out. Joye was not happy about staying in the truck. It was cold and snowing, my hair froze. Braden and I went inside to sign some paperwork and Ricky stayed with Joye. Look at that lip. Ricky said she was way worse but every time he would try to take a picture of her, she would stop.