A Winner and An Inconvenience

First things first - we have a winner of Maria's new book The Potato Chip Champ. Congratulations to Julie from First Grade Critter Cafe. Thanks to all of you who played along. I hope that you'll all add this title to your collection to help your littlest learners learn that Kindness Counts!

Secondly, today I've got some sad news with a few silver linings. On my way to the Junior High the other day to meet with the counselors about our upcoming 8th-grade parent meetings and then pick Joshua up a bit early for a dentist appointment, I was hit head-on by an oncoming Nissan Xterra and whisked away in an ambulance to the hospital for x-rays and treatment. I came away with a fractured radius in my wrist, twelve stitches in my right knee, and an air soft cast on the right ankle because the x-ray was inconclusive due to swelling. Today it hurts with every move I make and every breath I take. The good news? I survived a head-on car crash and I'm here to talk about it. The driver who hit me, well, she was on her way to pick up her daughter from school so that potential problem was avoided. And since I was still on the clock at work, we may have some help coming through a workman's comp claim. 

Some second graders made me a card collage!

So much to be grateful for! Thanks goes to the first responders, the lady who called 9-1-1 for me, the three women on the scene who laid me down onto the street when they saw that I was losing consciousness, the EMT who rode along with me to the ER, and the compassionate and competent  staff at St. John's hospital. Ed, our shift-change nurse, was especially funny and helped put me at ease. I was home in time for tuck-in time and slept okay despite the bruising and burns from a high-impact collision. My family at home has been wonderful about helping out, I've had so many prayers and warm wishes sent my way, many school family friends came by to visit and bring get-well cards from the kids, and my friends have brought meals to get us through the weekend. We are abundantly blessed! Here is what our daughter posted on her FB status - so proud of her.

My mom was hit by a drunk driver head-on today at 3:30 this afternoon. Although she's really banged up with two broken bones and 12 stitches, she's alive. Our van was totaled. I can't even adequately express how happy and thankful I am that she is ok. God has really blessed our family. It still infuriates me that people continue to drink and drive. If you're drinking and need to get somewhere, pass your keys to someone else. Always plan ahead and be smart. Don't be the cause of another person's injury.

So this is a minor major inconvenience, for sure, no van to drive because it's probably totalled. We'll have get to go car shopping once I'm getting along pain-free. I've got a cane to help me walk. I know that this case could drag on for awhile, but for now I'm choosing to be grateful that it wasn't worse. I am alive and life is good. I may not be blogging for a bit, but feel free to check in periodically to see if I'm back in the swing of things. I am grateful for you.