My day away.

I was so excited for my all-day crop yesterday! I finished packing up all my stuff to take and had the car loaded and ready to go by 10 am, a bit later than I wanted (it actually started at 10 and I had a couple errands to do!) but better late than never, right? It had started snowing and I didn't think much about it, as it has snowed a few times in the last couple of weeks. I get to the bottom of our hill and see that it is actually sticking on the road, something it hasn't done before. I call John and he has me put the Expedition in 4 wheel drive. I was driving slow, well a lot slower than usual, but I turned a corner on our road, and the car started sliding - I immediately knew I was in trouble! It wasn't just a little slide that corrected, it was a full blown skid that I couldn't stop at all. I remember saying, very loudly, "Lord, help me! God, please help me!!!" over and over as I was skidding sideways now into the other lane and ended up doing a complete 180 degree turn and hit the ditch. Thankfully, there were no cars oncoming. Also thankfully, I went to the left instead of the right. As to the right of that curve, there is a 30 foot ravine. I actually came up on an accident at that exact location last year right after the girl slid off into that ravine, her car landing upside down. She was alright, but it was very scary and I am usually really careful at that corner! I honestly thought I was going slow enough, and it wasn't ice, just snow! And I was in 4x4. But obviously I wasn't going slow enough, and I don't remember if I hit the brakes and that's what made me slide or if I started sliding anyway and then hit the brakes. But the brakes did lock up and I just tried to steer TO THE LEFT to avoid that huge ravine. It felt like slow motion. I was completely out of control and wasn't sure what would end up happening. I was jarred pretty good hitting that ditch, but the car didn't shut off and I was able to pull right out of the ditch after sitting there stunned for probably 20 seconds, thinking Did that just happen??? And am I OK?? I started shaking terribly, pulled out of the ditch and into a nearby driveway (of an old abandoned house) and called John. He of course was shaken and didn't know what to say, I tried to play it down, told him I don't think it was that bad, the car didn't turn off, etc. He said, "Do you need to just turn around and come home?" and I said, "No! I don't want this to ruin my day!" I thought, don't overreact, you're fine, it was just a little slide and everything is alright. We hung up after a couple of minutes, I had gotten out of the car and walked around it, it seemed to look okay other than some mud and grass lodged in the front bumper area. So off I went, driving about 20 mph, and actually got passed by a Cadillac! On the snowy roads! Anyway, I took my boxes of outgrown baby clothes to the post office to be shipped for my niece's little girl, then I stopped at the chiropractor - I had a little Christmas gift to drop off, but I decided to stay and get adjusted as my back had already been bothering me some the day before and that morning from a near tumble down the stairs on Wednesday! I am a walking mess!!! And I knew I had been jarred pretty good, especially when I went to get the gift out of the back of the Expedition and everything was topsy-turvy back there! I was thinking, Whoa, I didn't realize it was that hard! I am very glad I took the time to get adjusted, of course I told Dr Rita about the stumble on the stairs and then the sliding into the ditch. She gave me some extra TLC and I felt a lot better. I then had to stop and get gas as I was sitting on E! I finally made it to the scrapbook store an hour and a half after leaving the house. John had called me back to double check on me, while I was at Dr Rita's. I told him on the phone that I must have hit harder than I thought as everything was crazy in the back of the car, but that I was ok, just a bit shaken up still but I would be ok. Having some time on the table to relax and then having a good adjustment really calmed my nerves and I was able to be productive at the crop. I stayed until midnight and got 15 layouts done, most of them had some paper piecing (die cuts) through the Cricut machine which is more time consuming, but I don't own a Cricut so I like to use it when I can - my friend Anita has one and is very generous with it. She and I sat together and had a great time visiting and crafting the day and night away. The time just flies by! Lunch was catered in and dinner was pizza delivery. The owner of the store takes good care of us! Once I get the final touches on the layouts I will take pics and share. I am so glad I still got to go. I am so very grateful to God and my guardian angel for their protection. It gives me chills to even think much less type about it, it took hours to quit running it through my head yesterday, especially the what-ifs. The reason I shared it: to gently remind you all to not take life for granted, not one second of it! I could have died yesterday. I could have been severely injured. I could be in a hospital right now. And you know what I thought? What was the last thing I said to my husband and children this morning? How would they remember me? Life is so precious, none of us know how many days we have on this Earth. My favorite plaque in my scrapbook room: LIVE LAUGH LOVE. I'm here. I'm alive! I'm healthy. I have two beautiful, healthy children and a loving, devoted husband. I am blessed and I will appreciate that. This morning John let me sleep in, and then made a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast for us all. I am a little sore this morning, especially in my neck area, and I think I will be going back to Dr Rita maybe sooner than I thought for more adjusting and therapy. It is very cold here today, not supposed to be out of freezing, I think we will just hang out together and watch football!