On the Bright Side

Paula and I were back in the laundry room tonight working on our Mother's Day present to ourselves (organizing that room...it's already so much nicer!!!!!) when we heard several rapid rings of our doorbell. We thought it was probably Ben or Molly just playing. When we emerged from the laundry room we saw Rob out by our car with our neighbor from across the street looking at my car and pieces of it scattered on the ground. Molly said she thought somebody had broken into my car. I walked out there and my neighbor told me that somebody had run into my car and driven off. We could hear distant tire screeches a few streets over. A few seconds later a big black truck came careening around the corner back towards us. Our neighbor identified it as the truck she'd seen leaving our car all messed up. I couldn't figure out if he was drunk/crazy and coming back for more or if he was feeling remorse for driving off and coming back to talk to us. However it soon appeared that neither was the case for he suddenly turned right into the alleyway that runs behind the houses across the street. I told Rob he should chase him down and get his license plate number. Rob and I ran to get his shoes. We could hear tires screeching again from behind our neighbors' houses. Just has Rob was shoving his shoes onto his feet, the black truck returned again from the alley he'd gone down. I was still unsure of what to expect from this guy. He surprised me though by calmly pulling to the side of the road behind my car. He got out and apologized. He said he'd just reached down to grab his cell phone and didn't know exactly how he ended up side-swiping my car. There was an off-duty cop visiting our next-door neighbor. He came out and called one of his other cop friend's that was on duty. The guy was given a citation.

We all decided that it could have been much worse and that we are VERY grateful that nobody was hurt or out in the street when he passed by.....This experience was not so dramatic as my accident almost a year ago....but it makes me wonder....what's up with May?? Maybe my cars should take a sabbatical every May. :P

Truth is stranger than fiction!!

I believe this is one of the strangest, most unbelievable, surreal days I've ever had!

It started out like most other days, driving my kids to school while I plan out my day. I was on Bangerter Highway thinking about the house I was going to clean after I dropped off my kids. I went to pass a guy and as I looked to change lanes I approached the guy in front of me a little too closely (whether he slowed down or what I'm still not sure...these things happen in a split second) so I panicked and swerved into the lane that I had been about to move into. The problem is I swerved too sharply and started heading for the oncoming traffic so I over corrected that swerve and went back towards the traffic that was on my side. Once again I swerved to the left and ended up sliding out of control across three lanes of oncoming traffic. I messed up one girl's car pretty good and she got little cuts on her face. And somehow there was a guy in a Toyota affected too, but I can't quite figure out how. I feel so blessed that my kids and those poor people are all okay!! I believe it truly is a miracle that we walked away from that accident and avoided serious or fatal injuries to anybody!! And I'm so grateful that we were protected!

I was pretty shaken up and couldn't think clearly. Lots of nice people stopped to check on us, but I couldn't figure out how to use my cell, then who to call, then how to get a hold of anybody. Molly was crying and showed me a little scratch she had on her knee. I tried to give her sympathy but didn't think of anything else I could do. Ben piped up and said there was a first aid kit in the back of the car and offered to doctor her up. What a sweet, level-headed boy, just like his daddy! Finally I got one of my sisters on the phone and she came right over and took my kids away from the accident for me. She took Ben to school because he seemed ok. Molly felt too traumatized to go to school today. After they left my mom showed up and gave me a long hug and helped me to feel better. I sat in her car to wait for Rob to show up. Meanwhile the cops cleaned up the road and the tow guy got my car loaded on his truck.

Rob came then and helped me to feel everything would be okay. He was so supportive, reassuring and comforting! I'm so grateful for him! He took care of everything with the insurance and the cops, I was too frazzled to think straight. After that he gave Molly and I both blessings. I just have to say, again, how thankful I am for my sweet husband. He's so sweet, thoughtful and worthy to use the priesthood to bless others!

Rob took Molly and I to insta-care just to make sure we were all okay. We both had a little back/neck and leg pain. I told the insta-care doctor that I have OI so he decided to have a few x-rays done on me just to make sure everything was fine, but he didn't think there would be any problems. After getting into a little gown the x-ray technician asked me if there was any possibility of me being pregnant. I told him I was pretty sure I wasn't because we'd been trying for five years and that I had endometriosis. He said let's just check and gave me a cup to go pee in. He came back a few minutes later and said it was positive....I said "positive that I'm not pregnant right?" He responded, "No, you're pregnant." I started balling and ran (in my little gown) out to Rob and told him. He said, "WHAT?!?" I turned around and said, "Are you SURE?" The lab girl popped her head around the corner and said, "Would you like to check again?" I said, "Yes!" They did another strip which immediately turned pink. They told me they were pretty positive that I was pregnant! I was standing there balling and staring at the strip and they asked me if this was a good thing. :) I told them it was definitely good, but very unbelievable. After that the doctor decided it would be best to fore go the x-rays. He gave me a prescription for Loritab and one for pre-natal vits. :) Then he gave me a list of OBGYNs.

The rest of the day I've been trying to absorb and believe that this day was real. The first part was too horrific to be real...the second....well too simply amazing!!

P.S. Rob and his dad went to the tow yard and took pictures, I'd post some but they're too traumatic for me to look at. :(

Arizona 2008- Leaving on a Jet Plane!!

Tuesday, February 26

We got up early and returned GM's manwagon

then headed to PHX airport.

GM went to check us in and get boarding passes, while I stood in a separate line to use some travel vouchers we had to purchase our plane tickets for the E Family Reunion in July (short line, we knew which flights...should be no problem...right??). HA! After much time and much confusion, the guy finally figured out how to apply the vouchers and gave us our tickets. We ran to the security line (which naturally turned out to be VERY long) and waded through that…making it to our gate just in time for final boarding. Whew.

This time BR and I sat together one row ahead of MC and GM so it was nicer than the first flight, in that way…except that we’d booked window seats for both of our kids and BR got his, but there was a lady in MC’s (who apparently decided she didn’t want her aisle seat and without any apology or explanation took poor MC’s seat…however she did offer to allow MC to lean over her to peak at the Grand Canyon as we flew over it…how gracious!) :P

Grandpa J was at the airport to pick us up

and he and GM tried to play their game of not seeing each other...

but it was pretty funny because when both parties are so busy not seeing each other, they don’t see the other person not seeing them. LOL

Arizona 2008- Getting There

Saturday February 23

At the last minute ML and I decided to take the kids on their first flight and take advantage of a weekend special to Phoenix. ML wanted it to be a big secret and surprise the kids with the news at the last possible moment…well by last possible moment I’m thinking that means as we’re heading out the door to the airport…nope. He had this elaborate scheme to fool them all the way to getting on the plane!!

So we got up in the morning (having packed all night while they were asleep) and told the kids we had to run daddy somewhere. They didn’t ask questions, just hopped in and went along for the ride (I guesss??). While we were waiting for ML to check in and get the boarding passes BR looked up to see if there’s a flight to Phoenix. After finding one he said to me, “That would be really neat if we could fly to Phoenix, rent a car, and drive to Tucson and sleep there in a hotel”. (I’m thinking, “Maybe we shouldn’t have made all of these arrangements on the floor in the hall outside the kids’ door!!”) I quickly tried to dismiss that idea telling him it’s a great idea, but we’d have to save for a long time first because it would be really expensive. :P (I don’t think he bought it, he just looked at me and nodded and then looked away with a sparkle in his eye.)

While in line for the security screening, ML briefed the kids about what they had to do with their shoes/jackets etc. and that he got them special passes to go through the security area and back to the plane. All the while we kept making comments to each other about how we’d miss each other and all that…except I’m pretty sure they just went right over their heads, because they were so busy looking around and checking everything out. While we were in line ML opened up his carry on and ML spots her little Hello Kitty journal and some of her other things we’d packed and she wants to know what it’s doing in his bag. So the tangled web was further developed. :P “Well, MC, we didn’t want you to be bored while we waited for daddy to get on his airplane.”



MC with her "not getting bored waiting for "daddy's" airplane kit"


We finally made it through the line and headed to the gate. As soon as we found D5 BR looked up and it and shouted, “PHOENIX!?!?! Dad gets to go to PHOENIX?!?! No fair!!” After that he headed straight for the windows and climbed up on the ledge to watch the planes take off, land, and do whatever else they do out there. He stayed there most of the time. However, at one point he came back and sat by ML and was making comments that sounded like he knew what we were up to :P so I figured our game was about up…but no. ML got out his phone and dialed and started talking. It took me a minute to figure out it was a bogus call and he was pretending to check in with his dad and tell him the kids and I would be out there to ride home in about 15.



BR watching all the planes do their thing.


So when they started boarding, ML asked them if they wanted to see the inside of the plane. They sure did!!! We got on and ML ushers BR into row 12 (where BR and I had seats) and then to MC and he went back to theirs on row 31. (I’m not sure what happened with MC after this but ML told me she said she knew the whole time). :) BR was SO intrigued by every little button and gadget, and by the view out the window as well. After a few seconds I asked him if he was ready to get off and he ignored me, he still had stuff to check out. I asked him again and he quietly said that he was. So then I asked him if he’d rather sit down and stay on the plane and he sweetly said, “Yes”. I told him okay, we would stay and he laughed and told me that he knew I was joking. After inquiring why he thought I was joking he told me that he knew we were going back home because grandpa was still at the airport. I showed him the boarding pass and that we had seat assignments and he was thrilled beyond speech…almost. He loved the flight, every minute of it. Every few seconds he’d nudge me to point out something he could see, or something the plane was doing (ie. accelerating, ascending, etc.). It was such a joy to fly with him because of his obvious relish of the whole experience!! It was like being a kid again and experiencing it all for the first time all over again!


Oh to be a kid again!!


Once we landed and he stood up to get ready to get off the plane, he noted how fast we’d gotten there and how warm he felt already and then he said, “This is my style!! HEAT and SPEED!!”

We got our luggage (which MC and BR insisted on pulling…they probably looked like our little slaves) ;) and headed to get a car. We went through Dollar Rental because we know they offer Dodge Chargers in the Full size category. (Chargers are about as cool to ML as Dodge Magnums…I definitely prefer the Charger, to me the Magnums look like a glorified station wagon.) However when he went to pick up the car he saw the sign said: Full size: Dodge, Charger; Dodge, Magnum; or Crown Victoria (gag). He promptly asked if any Magnums were available (of course), but they said all they had were Crown Victorias (GAG). What could he say?? Well as he was loading in our suitcases a guy pulled up in a Titanium Grey Dodge Magnum, fresh from the car wash, and ML promptly asked if we could take it. We could. ( Boy was he ecstatic!! And hey, If my honey is happy, then I’m happy as pie…even if it means riding in a “manwagon”). :)




ML exploring all the ins and outs of his "manwagon". :)

Angels attending once again

Yesterday morning ML decided to drive MC to school for me because BR is home sick and we weren't sure how the roads were so we figured that way he could take the Passport and have the vehicle with the good tires and 4-wheel drive in case it got bad. On the way to school one of the tires on the Passport blew out and completely destroyed it. He had to stop on Bangerter Highway and put on the spare tire out in the snow and wind and muck!! He and MC are very blessed that they didn't have any further incident/accident than that!! The angels took good care of them!!

I've never had a blow-out before, but it's happened to two of my cars when I should have been driving them. Once on my Accord when my dad had it and this time with ML. I'm not really sure how I would respond to a blow-out, but the idea really freaks me out, and I'm afraid I would freak out and swerve and roll the car. So I think that maybe the angels were attending us in helping ML to decide to drive that car/to the school yesterday instead of me because he has a lot more skill and presence of mind in driving than I do! (And I have no idea how to change the tire on that car either.) I know it wasn't fun for ML, and I'm glad that they are okay, but I'm also glad I didn't have to face that challenge yesterday!!

When ML got back from the tire store (the tires were purchased in November!!) he said kudos to me for getting the warranty on them because they replaced it for free. I don't remember getting any warranty. So, either I'm losing my mind, or they sold it to me without my knowledge. I choose to think the latter is true. :P Mostly because I usually don’t look at receipts and I just take people at their word. I asked what they recommend for good tires and said “okay, I'll take that”...they saw me coming from a mile away....I guess this time it's a good thing. :P

I have angels watching over me!!!

There's no other explanation for it! Today as I took my kids to school the sun was shining and the day looked bright. I got home and ML hadn't left for work yet so he asked how the weather was. I told him bright and sunshiny. He almost left his coat home but I told him you never know what the day could bring. Well, how true those words were!!

About an hour after he left the wind started blowing like no other. Then, a little while after that, I look out the window because I could hear pelting outside. Snow had joined the wind. Well, between the cold wind, the warm streets, and the cold snow, the streets were virtually ice skating rinks. I had a dentist appointment at 12:30 (to check a crowned tooth that's been bothering me). I started out for it in my trusty little Saturn and soon realized how bad the roads were. I was driving with caution but as I was trying to turn at a stop light onto a major road (avg mph: 60) I began to slide sideways toward the truck who was turning in the next lane. We narrowly missed each other. I then travelled along (more nervous than before) and tried to avoid going too fast (though others around me certainly had no qualms about sailing along :P ). I approached the next stop light going about ten mph under the limit and the light changed to yellow so I tried to stop. I pressed as hard as I could on the brakes and it seemed to have no effect. I sailed right through the red light!! As I did, time seemed to slow down and I looked at all the people I was passing and thought what a miracle it was that nobody had started through the intersection yet. I saw at least half a dozen accidents in my 12 minute drive to the dentist. I'm still quite shaken up and amazed that I wasn't one of those accidents!