Everyone Is OK...

We didn't get to play in the snow over the long New Year Weekend. Saturday we were following our kids up the mountain on very icy roads when their truck started slipping and then slid across the road, hitting the mountain side before crossing over to the other side and going down an embankment, when the truck finally stopped it was nose down in a shallow creek.

Everyone is ok, pretty shook up, but ok. They are sore from bumping around in the truck and Albert took the brunt of the impact on his side when the drivers door hit a tree and he has (had) a stiff back. Tristan is a bottler so hasn't said much, although today he seems much better than yesterday...he is sticking pretty close to either Albert or Angela at all times.

Watching while all this is happening, knowing that your kids and grandkids are in that vehicle...well, I never want any of us to have to go through this again. As soon as Ed could get stopped I was out of the car and headed down the embankment at the same time Angela was getting her door open (her door was the only one that would open) and we got the kids out. Later, while we were de-briefing, both Angela and I said we feared two things: fire and water, and knew we needed to get everyone out of and away from that truck.

We have much to be thankful for...and immediately were praising God for His coverage. Seatbelts...everyone had one on and they kept everyone from tumbling around inside the cab. It was not snowing nor was it raining...visibility was clear. No fire. The truck stayed upright and did not roll. The road we were on (Hwy 138) follows a river, just a few wks ago a college age couple slid off the road not far from where we were and lost their lives when their vehicle plunged into the river. The roads were heavily traveled...but no cars were coming down the mountain, nor were there any directly behind us going up the mountain when the accident happened. When vehicles did go by, they quickly inquired as to safety and if we needed help, no one caused any traffic jams or obstructions~no chain reactions, no rubbernecking. This took place on a blind corner...while we were waiting for help all cars (trucks, RV's and etc.) that came around the corner were able to stay on their own side of the road. The deputy who arrived (in about 20 minutes!) was very helpful and had a very calming effect on each one of us. Our grandkids are the best! They obeyed without questioning and did everything they were told without complaining. When Grampa turned the car around, and headed back down the mountain, no one said "I wish we could still play in the snow" (although Kaitlyn did whisper that to me while she and I made dinner later that evening).

So, there we were, the 7 of us with one small car...yep..our little HHR. We took the valuables out of the truck, then filled the back of our little HHR with as much other stuff as we could get in there (the bed of the truck was full of our "play in the snow stuff" as well as lunch and etc). The deputy told us to buckle the kids in and smoosh the adults in "wherever and however you can" to get back to the cabin we had rented (about 40 miles away). It was tight, but we managed. As you can imagine, everyone was still pretty shook up so not a word was said for the first 30+ miles of driving on ice just to get off the mountain.

After we got back to the cabin Albert and Angela took our car and went to meet the tow truck at the wrecking yard about an hours drive away (they wanted to remove all their personal property and empty the glove box and etc.) and then to get a rental car...guess what...no rental cars to be found Saturday night + Holiday wknd + Podunk town = no rental cars!!!

Saturday night, while A&A were dealing with the towing company and etc. Ed and I kept the grandkids busy playing games, fixing dinner, and trying to draw Tristan out a bit. Rex really stepped up to the plate and buddied up to Tristan a bit as well. What a great big brother he is! By the time A&A got back to the cabin everyone had calmed down a lot, we plugged in a movie and had some family time that didn't include "wreck talk" and everyone was in bed by 11 p.m.

On Sunday we weeded through all the stuff we had (clothing, bedding, food, entertainment) and loaded ONLY what we HAD to bring home. The place that we rented a cabin from was gracious enough to let us leave behind the rest (which was ALOT). Then the 7 of us piled back into our little car and came home (2½ hr drive). The car looked like a "Weebles Wobble But They Don't Fall Down" car with a very loaded cartop carrier on it!

I can really sympathize with our foremothers who traveled on a wagon train and had to leave things behind...choosing what is too valuable to leave behind and what has to be left behind no matter what its value is. We were fortunate to be able to store out things, knowing (hoping!!) that it would all be there when we went back for it but it really made me stop and appreciate those ladies who lived a much harder life so many years ago.

Today Ed and I got up and drove back to the cabin and picked up all that we had left behind and then out to the wrecking yard to get snowboards and etc that were still in the truck.

Tomorrow is back to work for Albert and I, Angela and the kids go back to school on Wednesday, Ed will get back into his normal routine tomorrow as well....we are all looking forward to normal.

Before leaving this morning I spoke to my sister, she said their was a family in a similar accident over the wknd not far from where we were, unfortunately they all 5 lost their lives. My heart is just aching for that family, the 3 children were very close in age to Rex, Tristan and Kaitlyn.

Hug your babies, call your kids and grandkids...life is too precious to let any opportunity to tell our loved ones how much we care, how much they mean to us, go by.