Grateful

• Posted onAli J.
• in All Other Things
• onJuly 28, 2014
• 1 Comment.

Yesterday our little family went thru the scariest experience we have faced together so far. We were having trouble getting Dex down for his afternoon nap so I decided to take him for a little drive. It had been raining most of the day and so going around a corner we started to hydroplane and I lost control of the vehicle. We started spinning and then went off the road heading towards the woods. I had no idea there was a ravine there until we went airborne. As we were falling thru the air for what seemed like an eternity the thought actually crossed my mind that we might not make it out of this OK. Then as we slammed back onto the ground and started making impact with the trees I thought, “OK, you just have to stay awake and no matter how bad you get hurt just stay with it long enough to get Dexter out of the car and make sure he is safe, oh please please let me stay awake, I have to help my boy!” We finally came to a stop and I was shocked to find that not only was I awake but I could move and there appeared to be no serious injury. Then the sound of my sons frantic and hysterical screams filled the air and with a sinking heart I turned to find that our rear-facing seat had tilted forward and he was pressed between the back seat and his car seat. I flew out of the car and into the backseat and held my breath as I peeled his seat back. His terrified eyes met mine and after grabbing him to my chest we both sobbed together. The car was still running and I wanted to get us both away from it as fast as possible. After a quick inspection of him I found  he appeared to be OK.  He had stopped crying almost the minute I picked him up so I figured he was mostly scared and not hurt too badly. How I was able to climb up out of the ravine without shoes (had to throw off my heels) and back up to the road while holding Dex the whole time I  have no idea. We didn’t have any cell phone reception so we had to flag down someone. After a few passed we found our kind Samaritan who I only know as “Debbie” who kindly gave us a ride back home. We were able to go to the hospital from there. All checked out well and this morning Dex is the very busy and energetic little boy that I know and love. I still can’t believe it didn’t end up being much, much worse and I am trying to shut out the what-if’s that are filling my mind with sickening dread and my eyes with stinging tears. Trying, instead, to fill my head with the thought that we ARE safe and fill my heart with overwhelming gratefulness. Gratefulness for this day and grateful we still have each other. Grateful for the love we felt from our friends and family yesterday.  Grateful for this so very beautiful and fragile thing called life and for every precious second of it that we are privileged to enjoy.  So enjoy your day today and your loved ones, give them an extra hug, kiss, squeeze of the hand and an “I love you”, and be…. GRATEFUL!