Thankful

This has been a hard year for so many in the world - and on a day when those of us in America celebrate a day of thankfulness I am pondering all the things I am thankful for today.

We have been so very fortunate this year - Mike's business has remained steady and we have experienced none of the struggles that so many of our friends and family have. We're not bragging - we're thankful. We have done what we can to help those less fortunate when we can.

I am thankful for the health of my children - we have had a pretty sick-free year so far and that makes me rest a little easier (although both have colds at the moment).

I am thankful for my husband - who loves me unconditionally, loves his children and is working so hard to be a good father. He is a great provider for us - enabling me to stay home with our children - raising them and loving them every moment of the day.

I am thankful for family - close by and far away - who love and support us in our day to day life - in being the best parents we can be, respecting us for how we choose to live and love, for just being there when we need them.

And last, but most important - I am thankful for my God and Savior Jesus Christ. I would be nothing without Him and owe all that I am to His love and patience with me each and every day.

I hope this Thanksgiving you are thankful for many things - trying not to concentrate too hard on what you don't have - and thinking of those less fortunate and doing what you can to help.

In all things give thanks!

Not My Day to Die...

Life can end in an instant - and mine did not - thankfully.

I was en route to Crestview this morning with the kids in their car seats in the back seat... We were heading up Hwy. 85 in Niceville - dead even with the Tom Thumb gas station - when an elderly man leaving the gas station cut across the road - 4 lanes of traffic.

There was a vehicle heading south (several actually) and I was heading north. The driver heading South veered to avoid hitting the little red car illegally crossing lanes - and crossed the median/turn lane - ending up in my lane - 

I was going the speed limit - 45 mph - the light was green and there was no reason for me to decelerate at that point. 

I went from 45 mph to 0 in less than a second - ending up less than a foot, maybe 2 from the lady's front bumper.

God was watching out for everyone on the road at that moment. What could have been a deadly collision was nothing. No one hit anyone or anything. 

The lady whose headlights had lined up with mine rolled down her window after she got into the turn lane and out of my lane - she explained what happened - because it all happened so fast I really had no clue what caused her to end up in my lane - and whatever scenarios my brain was running just didn't make any sense. 

Right next to me in the far right lane was the man - the cause of all the tire squealing and horn blowing. He looked ancient and unwell. The passenger in his car had more cause to be driving than he did - as she looked at least 40 years younger.

He seemed oblivious of what he had done - and I'll reaffirm that there are too many elderly people driving on the roads who really have no business operating a motor vehicle any longer. 

I know it's sad when they lose their licenses - but these people could lose their lives  - or worse - take the life of another or more.

The kids are ok - I took them to the chiropractor this afternoon - Maddie was saying that her neck hurt after I slammed on the brakes. 

I needed quite the adjustment - Maddie was in perfect alignment and Wyatt's neck was fine, but needed some adjusting in his thoracic spine (which is unusual for him).

I'm just thankful that God was watching out for us - and for the other people who could have potentially been injured - and I'm thankful there was no one behind me because I stopped very suddenly from a decent rate of speed - it would have been impossible for someone to avoid rear-ending me in that situation.