Thank You God (and the Gerbil) for Protecting our Family

Well, I have written and deleted this opening line a couple of times, because I can't decide how to write it.  Did we have a "fantastic" weekend?  Was it an "eventful" weekend?  Was it a "bad" weekend?

Here's the thing: on Saturday, we (all three of us) were in a car accident.  Scary, scary, scary.  JB and I were in the back, James was driving, and we were headed home from lunch with family.  A woman heading northbound turned left from the turning lane into a shopping center, crossing over our northbound lane without seeing us.  (There were two lanes of southbound traffic, and we were in the right lane.  The left lane was backed up, so the visibility was such that we didn't see her until it was too late).  We collided so quickly, so forcefully, and then came to a stop.  Praise God, we all walked away with only bruising (me and James), soreness (all of us), and airbag burns (James).  (The woman was fortunately okay, too!)

I'm pretty sure we should say this was a great weekend, because - WOW - we feel so, so thankful that we are all okay.  

Sadly, the accident means the end of the Gerbil.  Obviously the car is the least of our concern (compared to the passengers), but I am still having a hard time saying goodbye!  Our Honda Insight was the first new car I ever bought, the car that brought home both our fur baby and our first born, and a constant in our life the last few years.  She took us to Texas several times, Florida several times, and all over the State of GA.  The great gas mileage was pretty awesome, too.  And, in the end, she did a helluva job protecting her family in the crash.  Couldn't have asked for better performance there (don't let the small size fool you - she went head on into a Range Rover at 35mphs and kept us all safe!!)

I can't explain why, but my heart hurt leaving the car behind in the wrecking yard, knowing we'd never ride in her again.  She was a good great car. 

Again, we feel so fortunate.  At the end of the day, it was just a car.  And just a car seat. (Oh, yes, I also had a major meltdown cutting the straps and tossing out the carseat.  The Chicco Keyfit protected our little guy so well, and the fact that it's in the trash - the seat our JB has been in every day of his life, just thrown out - is hard for me to deal with.  Guess I'm more sentimental than I thought…)

I just have to say it one more time.  So fortunate…Praise be to God.