Cherish Each Moment....

Some of you may or may not know what has happened to us this week. Jason and I were to leave for our trip to Las Vegas on Wednesday morning from Philly airport but as we were headed up to Philadelphia on Tuesday, to drop off Emma and Aubrey at my sisters, we were involved in a very serious automobile accident. We left during a torrential rain storm and hydroplaned on Interstate 40 in Burlington, NC where we side-swiped an 18 wheeler on a busy highway. God's hand was upon us every second of those tragic moments and He allowed certain people to be there and situations to occur. This is what happened:

We were traveling on a four lane highway and we were in the lane second from the left - on the far left was a cement wall/divider. One moment we were laughing and enjoying one another's company and the next we were thrown into the spin of our lives. At first the car spun towards the wall and then Jason pulled us away which then spun us 180 degrees to the right where we were head-on, face-to-face with traffic. All I remember seeing was a big white semi headed right at us while we slid into his lane. As Jason was trying to turn us out of the trucks lane, Jason's door scraped the trailer and then the rest of that side of the vehicle smacked against the truck which then spun us back around another 180 degrees where we were facing forward. Jason looked in the rear view mirror and saw that the back window was blown out. Traffic was headed straight at us so he gunned it to the side of the road. It's amazing that we not only survived but that we all walked away unharmed. Jason said he felt our van starting to tip just before we hit the semi and it was actually the truck that protected us from what could have been much worse. Had we tipped and rolled....I shutter to think at what the outcome would have been. (Sigh) GOD IS GOOD!!! He allowed the semi to be there at just the right moment!

Right after we pulled over another vehicle pulled over to check on us. The truck driver stopped as well but further down the road once he was able to stop his vehicle. As the woman (Paige) approached our car, Aubrey gave her a big smile, a wave and a happy "hiiii." That's our happy-go-lucky girl! The first thing Emma said after we pulled over was "Is our car broken now?" That's the mind of our 3 1/2 year old who brought a quick snicker to a stressful situation. God allowed their little minds to be unaffected by the accident as well. Emma is just young enough not to fully comprehend what happened and what could have been.

Paige was a God send as she sat with us the entire time and allowed her vehicle to be our source of shelter as our van had shattered glass everywhere and no windows to block the incoming down pour. Paige was actually on her way back from a doctor's appointment that was scheduled for the next day. She had mixed up the dates and was initially annoyed but little did she realize that God had her there for a reason...to help our family. No one else stopped so we would have been outside in the rain waiting for an hour.

Then, as the tow truck driver came to help me shift some stuff around the car before he towed it (I was trying to move the kids clothes so that they would be somewhat protected from rain pouring in the windows) he noticed Emma's doodle board laying right by her car seat. This is what he saw....

Shortly before the accident Emma was having me draw some pictures for her. First she said "Draw Jesus and the children." Then she handed it back to me and said, "Draw Jesus on the cross." That was the last picture I drew only moments before the accident occurred. The tow truck driver pointed to the doodle board and said "That right there is the answer." I hadn't even realized it was there until then. I smiled with tears in my eyes and said "You are absolutely right." In that moment, seeing that picture I had drawn, brought me instant comfort that He was there the whole time and that we would all be okay.

After the police reports we're taken, Paige drove the kids and I a mile down the road to the next exit while Jason followed in the police car. We parted ways at the rest stop and we were on our own. Jason was still "technically" working so he had to field some phone calls for work, call the insurance company, rental car places and try to figure out what our next step was. After four hours and no rental vehicle in sight, we opted for a taxi and to stay overnight in a hotel with the hope of figuring out a way back home the next day. The taxi driver was a young, single guy and when he took us to our van to pick up what stuff we could take with us, he chatted with Emma in the taxi while Jason and I rummaged through the van. Surprisingly, she was not very shy and amongst other things, she told him how much she loved Jesus and how He protected us. It warms a parents heart to hear a complete stranger tell you how touched they were by your child's unashamed love for the Lord and said that he can only pray for the same when he has a child one day.

That evening, as we sat in the hotel wondering what the next day would bring, we received a call from one of our good friends who offered to come pick us up. We arrived back in Charlotte on Wednesday around noon and our normal daily life resumed...at least for the most part. Since we are without a vehicle (other than Jason's which he is using for work), the kids and I are hibernating at home. Jason will get what groceries we need for the time being and Emma's preschool and dance class will be on hold for now. We should hear back soon about our van and whether or not it will be fixed or totaled. Right now, the adjuster is thinking it can be fixed which is what we are hoping.
What truly matters is that we are safe, we are healthy, we have a warm bed and house to stay in, food to eat....life doesn't get any better. I feel so blessed with what we have. God has given us ALL we need.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God has a plan for our lives and while we are only able to see a little glimpse at a time - God sees the full picture. Good and bad...every situation and circumstance we are given can bring us closer to our Father if we let Him; and every situation and circumstance can mold us into the person He wants us to be.

When you thought I wasn't looking.....

I was listening to our Christian radio station yesterday and Leslie Neese, one of the morning talk show hosts, read this poem below. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of my precious girls and what an awesome God-given responsibility they are to me. As their mother, I want nothing more than for them to be all that God wants them to be. And to think I have a part to play in that...to teach their little hearts and minds and help them grow into great women of God. It's so neat because I already see how our Heavenly Father is drawing Emma in - asking and wanting to know more each and every day. And to hear her say "I love Jesus" just out of the blue just melts my heart (and I'm sure His too). Even though parenting can be frustrating at times, I need to step back more often and truly appreciate what a beautiful work God is doing in Emma & Aubrey.

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WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

(Written by a former child)

A message every adult should read, because children

are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my

first painting on the refrigerator,

and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a

stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my

favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the

special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a

prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I

learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a

meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I

learned that we all have to help take care of each

other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of

your time and money to help people who had nothing and

I learned that those who have something should give to

those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take

care of our house and everyone in it

and I learned we have to take care of what we are

given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you

handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't

feel good and I learned that I would have to be

responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come

from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt

but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you

cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of

life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and

productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and

wanted to say,

"Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I

wasn't looking."

It's Winter, 70 Degrees & Sunny

It's still weird to think it's winter when you have warm days like we had today. I didn't have much work to do this morning and figured it would be a perfect day to escape to the park and have a picnic. Plus the kids needed to get outside and expend some energy.

Cool as a cucumber in her mellow-yellow John Lennon-looking shades
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The girls play so well together but Aubrey definitely wanted to be more daring on the big kid stuff with Emma. I had to hold her back a bit. Emma was good and joined Aubrey on the "baby stuff" too
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Food always tastes better outside while sitting on the grass. Aubrey enjoyed her first picnic.
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Taking time to smell the flowers...or uh er weeds.....weed flower :)
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There's a nice walking trail by the park we went to and along the way Emma gathered a collection of tiny little rocks - here she is showing them to me "Awww look mom...aren't they so cute?" Only a girl would call a rock "cute." I love it!
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Born sisters...Friends forever!

Today was perfect. The only thing missing was Jason.

Happy Valentines Day!!

Look how sweet - the sisters giving each other a Valentines smooch - I love Aubrey's face all squished up! This morning, Emma woke up before Aubrey and she kept asking to go get Aubrey. She wanted to play with lil sis who was still sleeping. Anyways, I thought that was sweet and had to share.I love this next picture. Aubrey is waving to the camera and saying "Hiiiiiii" in her sweet little voice. If only you could see her in person. She's growing up so fast and she is just so cute right now.

Emma actually took this picture - pretty good I thought.

Don't you just love the belly hanging out? Only when you're little
can you get away with that and it be considered cute.

I took this one of Emma and I holding one hand out - we're a little off centered
but it turned out cute. I'm hardly ever in any pictures with my girls.

One of my Valentine sweeties - taken before Preschool. She looked so cute decked out in her Valentine clothes but as soon as we got home they came off and the dress-ups went on. Oh well.

This was Emma enjoying her Chocolate Fondue for dessert. It was fun
and I think it's a Valentine tradition we'll keep :)

And last but not least (this was actually taken in the morning) - but this is typical Aubrey. She likes to do what I call "liquify" the food in her mouth. She either takes a way-too-big bite or puts too much in her mouth and then lets it sit there and turn to goo. Sometimes she swallows it but a lot of times it comes oozing out later. Ewwww - it's so gross. Especially the banana.

It's already been a week and a half since I last blogged - why can't I keep up with even a bi-weekly update: maybe our life just isn't all that exciting. Well last week, on my 33rd birthday, I came down with the flu and it hit me hard. In case your wondering....that was Aubrey's gift to me as she started with it 2 days earlier (although at the time we didn't know what was going on with her - just that we weren't getting a solid nights rest). Long story short, we're finally better and Monday was the first day I felt back to my normal self. We got a little bored being cooped up at home so Emma and I took some pictures of some doll house scenes to pass the time.

Baby is doing "tummy time" there on the blanket

Mom is cooking dinner while dad sips hot chocolate and eats cookies
Emma's hair has been getting really long lately and several other people have noticed as well, including her. Here she is showing me just how long. She keeps saying, "Mommy, I need to get my hair cut before it toucha my butt!" I think I am going to take her to my hair dresser for a cut. Silly girl.Oh - she was also pretending she was going to the pool - thus the swimsuit attire. This girl is ready for summer!!!

Miss Studious has really been into reading her books lately

OUR Dancing Princesses

We rented Barbie's 12 Dancing Princesses over the weekend. I think it has been watched at least 10+ times already. Here's some pictures of our princesses practicing their ballerina steps.

Coast [verb]: The intermittent practice of riding without moving the pedals and letting gravity or your momentum carry you along

Boy - I'm already a week behind in my blogging. I better get started and tell you about the adventure we had last weekend (Jan. 26th).
On Saturday morning, we packed a picnic lunch and headed to the beautiful Appalachian Mountains on a quest to see snow and go tubing with friends. Although Charlotte doesn't do much for us as a city, it is centrally located whereby within 2 hours of driving, we can be in the mountains or at the beach. The best of both worlds. It was a nice drive and Jason and I were able to carry on a conversation that for the most part was uninterrupted (rare!). When we arrived at our snowy destination, Hawks Nest, which the locals refer to as "steep and cheap" (nice slopes but the lodge was a dump), we met up with our friends and had our lunch in the lodge. Then we put on the necessary layers and headed to the tubing area. Before they begin the tubing session, the staff goes over the rules and regulations. One of the things they tell you, is that you are to immediately get up as soon as you get down to the bottom (or pay the consequences of getting whacked by somebody else headed down behind you) - kind of hard to do when you've been going in circles about 25 times at 35 mph. (Every time Emma and I went down on the tube together we spun the entire way down...and the faster we went, the faster we spun). Then there was this conveyor belt (that you are instructed to stand perfectly still on) which takes you back up the hill - I felt like an egg being sent to be pasteurized. Then you get in line to go down again. There were 8 lanes but each session holds 150 spots so we were moving like a heard of cattle. The waiting stunk but we all had fun. It was a nice hill and the tubes went faaaasssstttt! For obvious reasons, Aubrey was too young to go on it so while we took turns taking Emma down the slope the other dragged Aubrey around in a tube. I can't believe this was the first time we even thought to go to the mountains. It was beautiful and quite honestly, despite loving the warm weather down here, we do miss the snow. We also want the kids to grow up seeing/playing in the snow as we both did as children. We vowed to go every winter from here on out (and several times if possible).

After our winter adventure, it was time to get changed and head out for dinner. We decided on Outback and our friends thought to do "call ahead" seating so we wouldn't have to wait. Good move because the kids were tired and hungry. Considering we had 4 kids and 4 adults, it was a pleasant meal all around. As we walked out of Outback, snow flakes were falling from dark night sky and it was magical to see (we don't see snow down here very often so humor us). We got into the van and needed to fuel up before heading home. But...instead of turning around, the driver (Jason) decided to get on our route home thinking we would pass one on the way. Well, about 2 miles or so into our trip home, we hadn't passed a gas station yet and our digital readout on the van read a big fat "0" on how many miles left. Zoiks!!! So we tried calling our friends who were ahead of us to alert them of our dire situation....to no avail. No cell service for a few miles. Mind you, we were driving on a skinny one lane road down the mountain. When we finally got through, we told them that if we suddenly started flashing our lights - we were out of gas. They also checked their GPS and the nearest gas station was still 8 miles away. So we coasted. Jason put the van in neutral and...well let me quote him on this one: "With God's help, I exhibited a feet of masterful driving that is yet to have been duplicated. Due to my intimate knowledge of a 6 cylinder engine, we drove 12 miles on a completely empty tank." I was praying the entire way and I have to say, God is good. He brought us to safety and out of a potentially dangerous situation (if the car had stalled on that one lane road...I don't even want to think about it). So...that was the tale of our Saturday last week....we coasted down the hill on a tube and a van. Jason has now promised that when we are that low on gas....just stop and fill up. Don't wait! God taught us a valuable lesson that day that will never be forgotten.