A day that COULD have changed our life forever

 

This Friday started like any other Friday. The kids had been so excited to go to the zoo. We actually woke up before them and enjoyed some quiet before they came running down the hall talking about the zoo and all the animals they wanted to see. We got ready and were out the door at 9:30! Little did we know when we left that we'd never make it more than 25 minutes past our house. I took this picture of them before we left in case I never got one of all 3 of them once we were at the zoo. You all know how crazy things can get-especially with three little ones. It makes me tear up to think this COULD have been the last picture I ever took with all three of them together. So thankful it wasn't.

 We headed down 35 on our way to Ft. Worth. Traffic was still pretty congested as we got close to Western Center and 820. It was stop and go. This guy had been riding us pretty close for awhile and Trent had made a comment or two about how close he was and how he had come close to running into us. A few miles go by and we had just gone under 820 and came over a hill. Traffic was at a dead stop on the other side of the hill so we start slowing down. Trent looks in his rear view mirror knowing that guy had been tailing us and he saw him coming. In preparation he tried to get into the grass shoulder before he could hit us but he was just coming too fast. He slammed into the back of us and sent us spinning into the grass shoulder. We spun 180 so we were facing the traffic and the next thing I knew we were rolling. We rolled one full time and had gone over again when we hit the concrete median. When we hit that, it sent us back onto our side where we landed. It was AWFUL!!! Madison and Cooper were screaming, Karsyn was silent. Trent immediately started talking to the big kids and we knew they were at least alive because they were screaming. They didn't appear hurt. Seeing Karsyn's feet still and not hearing a peep from her made his heart sink. He was able to grab her shade and pull it back. When he did he said she was just staring up at him like what the heck just happened to me?? Before I could even unbuckle--I think I was in shock and it took me a minute--a man was grabbing Madison out of her seat. All three of us girls were on the passenger side, the side that was on the ground. Madison's window had busted out in the wreck. I told her to go with him and she would be ok. I was then able to compose myself and climb in the back to get the other two kids out. I got Cooper first because he was hanging in the air. I passed him to the same man out Madison's window and then did the same with Karsyn. We were so lucky that several people stopped to help. I followed the kids out Madison's window while another man broke out our already busted front windshield for Trent.

 

 These were all taken when the car was still on the side-this was how we landed. In the first picture you can see stuff under the car in the top left of the picture. That was stuff that had fallen out of Madison's window. So thankful she was alright.

 These were taken once the wrecking truck pulled it back over. We didn't get any of the back or the other side but they were damaged too!

Once we all got out of the car we sat in the shade against the concrete median and let reality set in. We praised the Lord that all 5 of us were able to walk away without any injuries. Our biggest injury was a small cut on my knee. The back window that is gone was where Madison was sitting. The baby she was holding was smashed under the car and Madison didn't have one scratch on her. Not one. We definitely had the Lord watching out for us. I've had many say my Grandmom was watching out for us too! I'd like to think that she was. We had a super sweet lady stop after the wreck. She sat with me and the kids the whole time. She prayed with us and helped keep the kids occupied. She even called her husband and had him come pick us up and take us home. (She was taking her neighbor to the veterans hospital in Ft. Worth). Super sweet family! The police took all of our information, the medics came and checked all three kids out but we opted not to go to the ER at that time. I told them I would call my pediatrician and have them seen by her since none of them appeared to be hurt. 

Cooper was mad we weren't going to the zoo and Madison started crying because all of her favorite movies were in the suburban. So I'm thinking they weren't that traumatized by any of this. 

All I can say is it has made me realize that each day is a gift and you really don't know when someone you love can be taken from you. It makes me sick to think what could have happened that day. We were sad about losing our suburban that we searched for forever but more than that we were thankful that our family of five was all going home together! 

It's been a week since we've had the wreck and Madison doesn't talk about it at all. Cooper talks about how our car went sideways and how a man saved him. Neither of them are scared to get in the car. The highway STRESSES me out. Like I really can't handle it. My heart races, I'm a nervous wreck and have to look down the whole time. I am hoping that goes away soon. We are searching for another car although we still don't know what they are doing with our old one. We can't imagine they will fix it because it's so old but we'll see. 

We are thankful God chose to spare all of us on this Friday morning. I'm thankful to see three smiling faces at the dinner table and to tuck three sweet babies into bed. I'm also thankful to still have someone to go to bed with. We are blessed!