SO THANKFUL!

I'm feeling a little Forrest Gump-ish, but....Life is like a box of chocolates....you never know what you're gonna get!  That just described my day perfectly.  You just never know!

I got up this morning, trying to make it to my 6 a.m. running group out at Lake Storey.  Strike 1: I was extremely tired & had a hard time getting up.  Strike 2: my tummy was upset & giving me issues.  At this point I was highly unsuspecting of the ultimate outcome & I pushed my way past those 2 strikes & finally head out the door with just enough time to make it.  Until Strike 3: my van battery was dead.  Well, you know what that means?!?!?  3 strikes and you're out!!!!

Jim still encouraged me to get my run done.  Just because I couldn't make it to the 6 a.m. group doesn't mean I couldn't run at all.  While he stayed home to charge my battery & finish getting ready for work I hit the road & got in 6 miles.  They were not my best miles.  I struggled through them often saying under my breath "I should have stayed in bed". 

When I got home & checked my facebook 2 things jumped out at me.  First someone posted about how do you spend your mornings and taking time to smell the roses, etc.  I responded & told her that I am often out running in the morning & I often see some of the most amazing things.  I reflected on my just finished run and many things came to mind that I did see that took my breath away.  Even if it wasn't "breath taking" there are a lot of things, both big & little that catch my eye and cause me to look on in wonder and mentally 'oh wow'.  Ultimately it leads to a moment of thanksgiving to God, the creator of it all.  Anyway, I suddenly was very thankful for getting up & running this morning.  Thankful for those moments that God gives me.

The other thing that jumped out & caught my attention was a devotional that someone had posted about.  It's from the Jesus Calling book.  One I read myself, but had not do so yet today.  The post paraphrased it well: You are tempted to indulge in just a little complaining about My treatment of you. The best protection against this indulgence is thanksgiving. If you persist, your thankful words, prayed in faith, will eventually make a difference in your heart.  It was just a great reminder to thank God for EVERYTHING.  No matter what....good or bad.

I had to take John to the dr. this morning.   I didn't know that when I got up this morning, but I wasn't too surprised since he had complained often yesterday about his throat bothering him.  It worked out well that they could see me right at 9 a.m.  My aunt, uncle & cousin from the east coast were going to be traveling through the area & had plans to stop by and visit me at 10:30.  Perfect.  Plenty of time to get the dr. visit over with and still be home to see & visit with them.  I had called my aunt to confirm their stopping, but when I called I had an outdated phone number.  So I called my mom.  Without meaning to my mom completed a 3 way call between my aunt, my mom & me.  Since everything seemed to be in place & all worked out I didn't see any reason to get my aunt's correct cell number.  I reasoned I would get it when we had a chance to visit.

I have no idea why, but I snapped this picture of John in the dr.'s office.  I try not to use my phone as a camera unless I have to.  As he laid there he looked so puny, yet so cute at the same time.  So I snapped it.  Poor boy just didn't feel good.

Of course, you know when you expect to get in & out of the dr.'s office real quick it seems to take a really long time.  Way longer than usual!  After we left there we had to run up to the lab to get a strep test.  Still plenty of time to get home, but with it getting closer to 10:30 and the arrival of my aunt I want to be sure they are not pulling up to an empty home.  So I call my mom again & have her relay that IF by chance I am not there I am on my way.  Just when we get called back for the screening (I have no clue what took them so long!) mom called back to say Aunt E was 15 minutes away.  PEEEEERFECT!

I pulled out of my parking spot just fine.  Actually I started to pull out one direction, but realized how tight of a squeeze it was going to be so I pulled back in and pulled out the other direction.  Just as I was out of my spot and pulling forward down the aisle another car pulls out of it's spot.  In anticipation of this I start to brake.  Except I don't stop.  I start pumping the brakes.  Once....twice....ok now I'm frantically pumping the brakes several times.  I did think to slam on the emergency brake, but that does no good, it just pushes to the floor.  So I start to frantically honk my horn to alert others of danger.  It just gets me weird looks from people in the parking lot.  As I'm rolling down toward this other car I have parked cars on my right and people walking through the parking lot.  On my left I have more parked cars and directly in front of me is this car.  Even if I manage to get past this car in front of me the only other place to go is forward toward the building with people standing outside of it.  I feel like I'm speeding up (who knows if I am or not).  My mind is certainly speeding up.  What do I do?  Why can't I stop?  How do I protect the kids (I have 3 kids with me, all buckled up)  I just know that I have to somehow stop.  I see off to the side a yellow cement pole.  I suddenly knew that I was going to have to crash into that to get me to stop.  I yell at the kids "Hang on, I have to crash" and we hit the pole.

I could tell by the impact that we were ok.  No airbags deployed.  I even almost immediately knew that there would be some damage, yet the van would be ok.  There are lots of advantages to having this big old metal van!  My biggest concern was the car that was in front of me that was now next to me.  I thought I had hit the back side of it while trying to stop/crash.  The guy WAS giving me a weird look.  So I jump out to start apologizing for hitting him & explaining that it was an accident, my breaks went out & I couldn't stop, etc etc.  He just looked at me & said "you didn't hit me".  We went back to look & make sure.  If I did then there was no damage.  Phew, one less thing to worry about.

I called Jim immediately & tell him what happened.  I'm sure I was frantic & yelling.  Since he works 30 miles away I know he can't get there instantly to help me.  I tell him I need to get off the phone & call someone local.  I try Stephanie's John, but he is at work.  I didn't even explain to her what was going on.  I called my church, figuring a pastor or some man had to be there that could come help.  Pastor Lee was there within less than 5 minutes.  Other strangers were passing through the parking lot & making sure I/we were ok & offering help.  The kindness of the people of Galesburg is AMAZING! 

In the mean time I remember....MY AUNT & UNCLE!  By now they are surely sitting in front of my house wondering where I am.  And remember....I don't have her phone number.  So I call my mom.  She doesn't answer.  So I call again & again & again.  OH COME ON MOTHER ANSWER YOUR PHONE!  (I did finally get her later, she had a good reason for not answering, but of course she felt awful.  Well, stuff happens).  I did think to call my neighbor and she was kind enough to go out & find them & inform them of what was happening.  This visit was only suppose to be a short, passing through town one.  I told them to continue on & I'd see them tomorrow at another gathering.

In the mean time, Pastor Lee shows up.  Another friend is walking through the parking lot and realizes what is going on. Both are very generous with their willingness to help out.  Jim also calls back & says he is on his way.  We determine that I shouldn't move the van until Jim gets here.  Also in the mean time the 3 kids in the van are getting restless.  Carmen keeps getting out of the van.  3 times I hear someone say "uh...m'am your daughter..."and without me seeing Carmen is out in the parking lot trying to get to me.  We decide that the kids need to get out of here so Pastor Lee takes them to the church for me.  That was a load taken off my shoulders that I needed.

So I stayed there waiting for Jim.  The scene had left many people looking, staring, wondering what was going on.  More people stopped to offer help, but by then I was able to say help was on the way.  More than once I had started to cry and 'loose it'.  When the kids were there I knew I just couldn't do that.  I had to keep it together, especially for them.  Once they left and I was all alone waiting it made it harder to not break down.  God sent an angel of a friend, Angela, who kept me company for a little bit. I was also able to call back Stephanie to let her know what was going on.  Still I stood there waiting & called Suzie.  I know I can call & cry on her shoulder.  A little funny, when I went to look up her phone number I actually got a text from her asking some question about blogger.  Instead of replying to her text I called & had my little bawl feast.  It helped keep me company until Jim got there.

Jim was able to move the van without much trouble.  He was even able to come to a stop.  Of course I am in total bewilderment saying "HOW DID YOU DO THAT?  HOW DID YOU STOP?"  Then I suddenly felt like a crazy lunatick....like did I just imagine all of this?  Am I losing my mind?  I KNOW I couldn't get it to stop!!!!  Once Jim got it home he said there was something wrong with the brakes, they felt all spongee like.  Later the neighbor referred to air in my brakes which is why I couldn't stop.  I don't know.  I'm no mechanic.  I can operate the vehicle and put gas in.  Other than that.....don't ask me!  I assumed that since the brakes "went out" for me that it made it impossible to drive.  While I'm not touching the van until it's fixed apparently it is drivable, just not very ideal at this time.  Fine by me, I'll stay home.

The only damage is the dent in the bumper.  The cracked/broken grill was from my last accident.

Later I picked up Mandy & Nina from their morning activities.  Mandy asked if I had been crying so I recount all that happened.  She said "well, mom....if you're gonna pick a place to have an accident, the parking lot right next door to the hospital is the best place to have one!"  I couldn't help but laugh, she is so right!

If you made it this far & read my whole entire book post then bravo....you get a gold sticker.  I process things well when I either tell this entirely, completely to several people or like this I sit down & write it all out.  In hindsight of all the bad, the inconvenience, the why me.... I am so thankful.

*SO THANKFUL that I was in a parking lot and not going very fast.
*SO THANKFUL that I didn't hit the car in front of me or any car or any person.
*SO THANKFUL we are all ok.
*SO THANKFUL for the yellow cement pole (WHY was that there anyway?!?!)
*SO THANKFUL for my big heavy metal van that could sustain such a hit.
*SO THANKFUL for Pastor Lee who was ready & available in a split second to be there for me.
*SO THANKFUL for a husband who was able to leave work & come take care of the situation.
*SO THANKFUL for Kelly & Angela who "just happened" to be passing through the parking lot. 
*SO THANKFUL for Stephanie & Suzie who was just a phone call away to listen & give me comfort.
*SO THANKFUL this happened here in town (we leave Saturday for vacation).

I could go on and on and on!  I am just SO THANKFUL!