Runaway Vehicles, Smashed Garage Doors and the Body Shop

I've relayed this story to at least a few people.  Quite a few have said the same thing:  "Anyone who thinks angels don't exist must be absolutely crazy."

Today just before 7 a.m., our neighbor’s Econoline 350 van and attached 20+ foot flatbed trailer plowed into our minivan, which was parked in our driveway, near our garage door.  The minivan was pushed into our garage by about 4 feet, through the garage door.  We have damage to the garage door, the front of the van and the back of the van (the back window was broken out entirely).  FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT.

More pictures below...

Our next-door neighbor, Kathy Wright, who has terminal cancer, was going to move their Econoline van out of their driveway.  Her husband asked her if she would do this, so he would have room to move their RV that they JUST BOUGHT LAST NIGHT.  They were getting ready to go on a trip, to enjoy time together while she still feels up to it.  They were leaving early because she didn’t want to drive in the Atlanta traffic in the Econoline van with the attached trailer, while her husband would drive the RV. 

She got in the van, put it in drive, and realized the emergency brake was on.  She popped what she thought was the emergency brake.  It was the hood release.  She got out of the van, to push down the hood.  The van was still in DRIVE when she got out of it.  She found the emergency brake as she made her way back to the van.  She released the emergency brake and the van took off on her.  She is lucky to be alive, honestly.  She fell to her knee when she was outside of the van, when the van took off on her.   She may have a bruise, but that is it.  She is SO LUCKY the van didn’t run over her. 

The wheel was turned all the way to the left, with their van facing out of their driveway, toward the center of the cul-de-sac.  Because the wheel was cut, when the van took off, it did a u-turn directly across the lawn (around Kathy) and into our van, which was parked just in front of our garage door… Because our driveway is on a hill, I had the emergency brake on in our van.  Basically, our van stopped their van from plowing directly (further) into our house.  We’re lucky there wasn’t any structural damage.  Sounds weird, but it couldn’t have hit a better spot, or we would really have monumental damage to our house.

I normally take Ava to the bus stop, but Doug had a later meeting this morning, so he was going to take Ava to the bus stop.  If Doug and Ava had left a few minutes earlier, they would’ve been in the driveway when this happened.  So thankful no one was hurt.

Their insurance (our neighbors’) is going to take care of all of the damage, we’ve been told.  Our van is still drive-able, but the back window shattered entirely.  So, we took our van to the Toyota dealer, where it will spend some time in the body shop.   The insurance company is paying for a loaner vehicle for us, as well, while our van is being fixed.  The garage door company gave us a new garage door, nicer than the one we had.  It was the only one comparable to the door Doug had previously installed.  Our old door (I say old, but it was only five or so years old) was steel in front with nice insulation on the back.  The new door is steel on the front, foam in the middle and steel on the back of the door.  It will insulate better than the old door.  They will also be painting the door to us.  We won't have to pay a dime for the damage, etc.

Above all we're thankful that everyone is fine.

But seriously, it cannot be minimized that:

• Doug had not left for the bus with Ava yet (if he had left 2 minutes earlier, he would've been right in the path of their van). 
• The van didn't run over Kathy.  In fact, she only had a bruised knee.  She is seriously lucky. 
• The van didn't hit any of the walls in our drive-under garage.  Our house could've fallen like a house of cards, if our van was pushed into a structural column in our basement.
• If our van was not parked there, their van would've probably barreled directly into the central / load-bearing wall in our house.
• I had the emergency brake on in our van.  It seriously moved our van 7-8 feet WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON...
• Paul had the wheel cut entirely to the left.  If he had straightened it out the night before (or if Kathy had straightened it in the morning), there would've been an unmanned vehicle running down our street when the kids were all heading to the bus stop. 

Counting our immeasurable blessings,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Pumpkin Patch 2011

This year we headed to the local pumpkin patch.  Both kids were excited to pick out pumpkins.  Liam seemed to favor the lumpy, bumpy pumpkins.  Ava liked the taller ones.  We ended up picking out two pumpkins and heading back home.  We're loving this unseasonably warm weather and the gorgeous colors that fall brings!  Now, to carve!

Peace, love and just-the-right-one (or two),

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Liam's Shiner

Liam fell off the bed a few weeks ago.  We heard a bump, but I thought it was most likely his foot hitting the stepstool to his bed.  When he came downstairs to our bedroom crying, I never turned the light on, but got a blanket, made a makeshift bed for him and told him to lay down and get comfortable.  When we woke up in the morning, I realized he had hit his head on the way down to the floor, when he fell during the night.  Fortunately there wasn't any broken skin.  I guess I will be opting to turn on the light in the future... :( 

I have a feeling he may have fluid in his ear, which could be messing with his equilibrium.  He has been sleeping for forever in a big boy bed (twin-sized bed) without safety rails.  The safety rails have since been reintroduced to his bed...

When we went to the doctor for a flu shot, I told her I felt a little lump in the area where he hit his eyebrow.  I didn't know if it might be a piece of chipped bone, or what.  She mentioned that there is coagulated blood in the area above his eye, which may take a few months to absorb, but that he should be fine.

How is this for a shiner? 

Peace, love and midnight scuffles with the floor,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

"What Do Mommies Do When They Grow Up?" and Other Liam Thoughts

Liam is starting to amaze me, with his concepts and ideas.  He is starting to question things and try to understand his world more, conceptually-speaking. 

On Monday, I kept him home from school, since his cough was so rough.  We're hoping that we're on the road to recovery with this "being sick" stuff!  He truthfully seemed great later in the afternoon, but he did fall asleep in the floor, in front of the television before lunch.  He needed his rest, so it was good he stayed home. 

That afternoon, I was putting a movie in the DVD player for him to watch.  He turned to me and asked very surely, "Mommy, what do mommies do when they grow up?  Do they do movies and" (he paused, then heard the dryer running.  He thought for a brief second.) "and, uh, laundry?"  I thought it was incredibly sweet that he wondered what I did for a job.  Being that he doesn't normally spend the middle part of the day with me when Ava is at school, he was curious what it was I did with my time.  I told him I work for the phone company and help people by using my computer.  :) 

Yesterday, on the way to school, after working on his letters (alphabet) with him, I hear him in the back seat "Mom, why does Ava know her letters and I don't?"  Oh, sweet boy!  He doesn't realize that she has two years (plus) on him.  I told him that Ava learned her letters when she was three, that she is two years older than he is, and mentioned I could help him learn his letters, too.  I think he liked that idea.  He knows the alphabet song and can recognize some letters, but not all of them.  He can draw a circle (using his right hand, currently, but I wonder if his preference wouldn't be for his left hand?).  He can also draw the letter "L" and seems to point it out whenever he sees it.

One night last week, while putting him to bed, he mentioned he was scared.  He seems to have a fear of the dark lately, and will come down to our room in the wee hours of the morning, lay on a blanket with a pillow next to our bed.  To help calm his fears, I laid down with him.  I think it's the longest I've ever talked with Liam by himself!  (At least the most words he's ever said consecutively with me).  I think he was talking to try to keep himself from falling asleep.  He told me about experiences at school, his best friend (Ben), what he likes to do, asked questions, etc. 

For a while, Doug and I thought we might have three kids.  We never really questioned the number.  Doug came from a family of four, I came from a family of two.  So, why not three?  My comfort level is with two.  I know this.  As a working mom, I feel like three is outside the realm of what I could realistically handle right now.  It's a struggle to keep up with life, work, Ava's schooling and be sure to spend as much time as possible with each of them, let alone add another into the mix.  I just don't think it would be fair (at this time) to someone.  Someone would ge the short end of the stick.  Doug realized that if we are blessed with three (and / or "try" for three), it would only be for "numbers sake" and not because we have two boys or two girls and were hoping to have the opposite gender from the children we already have.  So that was a non-issue.  I've always heard with regard to best friends, as well, that it is always harder to have three best friends (instead of two); someone always gets left out.  Someone is always better friends amongst those three. 

Knowing this, even not being pregnant, I think I mourned the loss of attention I knew Liam would get if he were a middle child.  It made me so sad!  I think I tried to spoil him as a result.  He is spoil-worthy, regardless, that is for sure (as is Ava)!  :)  For now, I think we're happy with two.  I know I can handle two.  With three, I think we feel like someone might possibly be left out.  It almost seems like it would be easier to have four than three.  Right now, both kids are special for so many reasons, but also because they each have the market cornered in the gender department.  So, there you have it.  We're happy with two.  Our little family is complete.  If God blesses us with three, though, I KNOW we would be overjoyed. 

I say all of that to say that I was able to fully soak in the experience with Liam that night, listening to him talk about himself, experiences and ideas, instead of being pre-occupied with the thought of not having as much time / attention to spend with him in the future, if we did have three.  I know I probably sound off my rocker completely.  Cliff notes version - I'm so thankful for both of our kids and am trying to live in the moment and let the reality soak in, as to how amazing any given moment is with our family.  Make sense?

I am so anxious, though, to hear how Liam's sweet mind works and learn about his world, as her perceives it, in the coming days.  He is some fun. 

Peace, love and one full heart,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

October Is Here!

Yay for October!  My absolute favorite time of year.  (It doesn’t hurt to have a birthday during such a beautiful month!) 

We’ve been busy AND we’ve been sick!  :(  Last week, Liam complained of an ear ache while at school.  (I think he honestly had some water in his ear from our visit to Whitewater in late August...I think that might've started the ear infection).  I was fortunate enough to get him into the doctor that day, after Ava got home from school. 

While at the doctor’s, they asked “Are you here for a flu shot?”  Oh, uh, yes?  The kids were too busy to realize there would be a needle stick in their near future.  They gave Ava the shot after I received mine.  She was in hysterics before the needle came within 12 inches of her leg.  Liam was ever the empathetic brother, with a big pouty bottom lip sticking out, while he watched her get poked.  He felt SO bad for her!  It was sweet to watch him care for his big sister like that.  L  I honestly thought he might start crying over it!  He ended up with two ear infections, so they prescribed Amoxicillin.  His flu shot wasn’t nearly as traumatic.  They both quickly got suckers, which made them forget any pain from the flu shot.  Ava mentioned at that point that "the flu shot didn't even hurt."  Um, yeah, right!  ;-)  That was Tuesday.

Wednesday Ava had her very first official school pictures.  She seemed excited about them.  Her school also lets parents come in and have lunch with their kid(s).  I had time that Wednesday, so I was able to have lunch with her.  We sat at a separate table designated for parents visiting their kids.  I think I saw about six parents that day visiting with their child.  It was hilarious….she sat facing the majority of kids in the lunch room.  She would quietly notify me of which friend might be walking close to us, in line with their classroom, completely under her breath.  When they would get close to us, she would stop talking, smile and wave at them.  The friend would wave back.   

One of her friends is a little boy named Kyle, who lives just up the road from us.  He is also in Kindergarten.  Ava told me:  “I think Kyle loves me…”, as she sheepishly laughed her way through saying it.  Oh boy.  I did notice he would look back at her a few times, even after he had left the lunch room!   She mentioned she doesn't have any best "boy friends" in her class, but that she does have two best "girl friends" in her class.  I told her it was good to have both.  (Trying to keep it on the friendly front. :) 

That day, I got a package in the mail from my Dad.  He had made a bracelet for me, a bracelet for Ava and also a vase – all out of the wood from the tree we cut down in our back yard!  (Ambrosia Maple) They are beautiful!  He is amazingly talented.

They also sent the following Temp-Tations dishes for my birthday.  I absolutely love them!  You can use them in the oven, microwave AND dishwasher.  Tres cool.
 

Here's a closer look at the pattern:

Thursday started my birthday celebration.  Well, I like to think so, since I got sick later in the week… I picked up some flowers for our raised bed in front of our house.  Nothing makes me happier than planting flowers, I’ve found.  That, and canning, I'd say.  Weird, huh?

Mom also sent some moolah in a card for my birthday.  Always appreciated!  Thanks, Mom!

Friday Ava missed school, waking up with a very sore throat and cough.  I had been battling a sore throat since Monday, as well.  We went to Target on the way to the doc.  The doctor's office took a rapid strep culture which came back negative, but we had to wait for 48 hours to confirm the regular culture results.  We had a nice lunchtime at Chepe's after the doc appointment.   We then walked next door and bought a few barrettes at Sally’s Beauty Supply next door, then ventured home so she could rest. 

Saturday Ava went to her gymnastics class.  The kids went to bed very early the night before, in hopes that they could recoup.  In gymnastics class, she did really well!  She still seems to LOVE being a part of this class.  She has so much upper-body strength!  She was holding herself up on the rings, pushing down onto the rings while holding her body straight up and down (with the rings to her side).  I know I couldn’t do that! 

Once we returned home Saturday, I helped Doug on digging the retaining wall while both kids caught a nap.  Doug is on the worst part of this wall now.  He is digging 6 foot deep trenches that are 6 feet wide (back into our lawn).  :(  But together we were able to make quite a bit of progress, digging out three trenches, installing three dead men. 

Sunday we got messages first thing in the morning from the doctor’s office, advising that Ava’s strep culture was positive.  Yuck.  So we stayed home that day.  Ava had an earache, as well.  We didn’t get to go to church or to visit the pumpkin patch with the Homebuilders’ class at church.  We definitely needed some rest to get the kiddos better.

Monday I went to the doctor to get tested for strep, since Ava’s culture came back positive.  Ava seemed well enough to go to school.  When she got home from school, she was reading to me, when she suddenly couldn’t sit still.  She mentioned she was itchy.  By the time Doug came home, she was red and had a hive on her belly.  I knew immediately it was probably a reaction to the antibiotic.  I gave her Benadryl and called our insurance / doctor’s office.  They wanted to see her after-hours, but it’s $190…  (compared to $20 during office hours).  So we decided we could monitor her, flush her with lots of Gatorade and keep the Benadryl doses coming.  She seemed to be doing well, so we decided to take her in the next day. 

Ava missed school Tuesday, due to the antibiotic reaction.  Ugh… last Friday and Tuesday so far for her this school year… Doug stayed home with her, since he has sick days he can use.  It was my birthday, but I was feeling under the weather.  I called the doctor’s office to see if they could prescribe an antibiotic.  Who wants to be sick on their birthday, anyway?  I played doctor phone tag all day, which wasn't too fun.  Doug and Ava ran top-secret birthday rounds and got a different antibiotic filled for her.  I used my Massage Envy gift card from Mother’s Day.  Heaven1  I opted for the aromatherapy massage.  They used Mint and Rosemary lotion.  It was just what my congested nose needed.  I walked next door to Target and bought the Lion King on DVD.  I've been waiting what seems like 10 years for this to be out on DVD!  I went home, worked for a bit, then we picked Liam up from school early and headed to Marlow’s Tavern for dinner.  I love their shrimp and gritcakes!

For my birthday celebration, Doug and Ava had picked out a very colorful assortment of fun balloons, a Cookie cake (Doug knew I’m not a big cake fan), and even bought some Godiva truffles.  Yum.  I told Ava I wasn't really in the picture-taking mood, sinceI was sick.  Ava thought I was 53, when she pulled out the candles to put on the cookie cake.  Yikes!  They got me a digital kitchen scale (that can automatically be zeroed out), which was on my list.  They also got me a wheeled seat for gardening, which looked pretty interesting.  I was spoiled with cards from everyone in the family, new school pictures of Daymian and Jordan, pictures Ava had drawn for me. 

Hmm???

"Happy Birth Day"

After the birthday festivities, I wasn’t really feeling too celebratory (I was feeling pretty sick, actually), so I crashed on the couch.  I was able to catch some zzz's while opening one eye occasionally to see the Tigers and Yankees play.  Here’s to hoping I don’t get sick for my birthday next year!  All in all, I can’t complain!  I planted the flowers, got a massage, was spoiled by my family, ate a yummy meal, and bought the ingredients to make Grandma Nila’s concord grape jelly recipe.  (What started this year’s entire jam-fest, to begin with!)  What could make a girl happier?

Thank you, Doug, Ava and Liam.  You make every day special, but ESPECIALLY my birthday!

Peace, love and 35 candles,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam