I just want to preface day 1 by saying that I am utterly exhausted. and when you hear about my day...you'll understand why. And I am only staying up extra minutes tonight to write this post because I promised you all...and I'm sticking to my promise. But as soon as I am done, I will go to sleep post-haste, because tomorrow I must rise at TOO early an hour. Anyway. On to the day.
Pre-11:38 am
had a leisurely morning at home...got ready for the day, watched part of a movie, packed my bags and departed for Simi Valley. Listened to great music, and arrived...fully rested and ready to work.
11:40-2:17
Me and Aunt Nell bake. and bake. and bake some more. and make dough. and make caramel. and grind nuts. and bake. and cool. and freeze stuff. and bake some more. (i now have her recipes for bread and caramel rolls memorized.) It was fun though. I like working hard, in a rhythm. All the while, we're discussing what will happen when she is gone and I play mom (schedules, meals, homework etc...)
Then post-baking (which really never stops all day, by the way), we pick up the younger boys from school and the older ones slowly trickle in.
Allow me to interject some helpful information here. I shall do a brief bio on each of the boys I am going to be "mothering" the rest of the week. Many of my readers may know these boys...but this is for those of you who don't.
This is Justin. He is 16 years old and a truly gifted musician. He received the honor to go salute the Queen of England in the New Years Day Parade in London because of his superior skills as a marching band drum major. (the reason for all the baking is to fund-raise for this trip). Justin is responsible, kind and has a true heart after God. great kid.
Seth is 14. He has the fantastic red hair and a great sense of humor to accompany it. He always shows interest in my life and my job and will listen to any story i tell him. He also plays in marching band (a mellophone?) Anyway...he's funny, sweet, mischievous and also loves God sincerely.
Jacob is one sweet 12-year-old boy. This kid is the most forth-coming with hugs of almost any boy his age i've met to date. Always has a smile, a joke, a random fact about something and is just overall a brilliant kid. He's tall, lanky and has got a killer smile (which will kill more post-braces!)
The kid i'm related to is on the right. Caleb is 10 years old. I had to put Dylan in the picture too. Those boys are best buddies. and many afternoons will find them around the kitchen table together doing homework. Caleb is such a monkey. He loves to play and is very opinionated and stubborn when it comes to arguing a point (even if he's wrong). I had him in Sunday school for several years and while it takes him a while to open up, he's got a sweet heart.
Oh this child. Nathan is 7 years old...the baby in the family. And somewhere along the line, too many someones fawned over him and now he KNOWS he's adorable. (notice the great chocolate smudge on his cheek). He loves to tag along with his older brothers, loves one-on-one time with me and is at that stage where he's not sure if it's cool to be cuddled and hugged anymore. he's just so cute!
So now that you see the boys...you can picture our days a little more. I help Nathan with homework...and keep on Caleb to get his done. Today also included driving three of the boys to various music lessons and picking them up again. Also the two oldest boys were getting ready for a band recital at their high school. Aunt Nell still hadn't packed for her trip (never got it done until 15 minutes before leaving the house for the airport)...she was making dinner (round 1 of the chicken burned up on a moody grill. literally...fire and smoke. Thank goodness for El Pollo Loco)...she was STILL baking (had to take stuff to the recital to sell)...so i ran around and did all the chauffeuring.
and then it happened.
I was sitting at a green light with Jacob (just getting back from guitar lessons) waiting to make a left hand turn. and I was telling him how i once sat behind a lady who was so cautious that she sat through three light cycles because she wouldn't turn left on a yellow and the traffic never cleared on a green. and as we were laughing about that...there came a clear spot to turn left. part way through the turn I see a little car speeding toward us...clearly not slowing down. I honk...and the rest happened in slow motion. he clipped the back of Simon's bumper and spun us 180.
we yelled.
and pulled over.
i was shaking.
and speechless.
Jacob kept exclaiming, "Woah, dude...wow what just happened. oh my goodness. wow." and as we got out of the car, i said, "i have no idea what to do. and just to let you know I'm going to start crying."
which i did. The lady who lived on the corner came out and gave me a great big hug and comforted us and started talking us through the whole thing, being the mom and general voice of responsibility, since my brain was jostled a bit. She really was an angel...totally just what I needed in that moment.
Police, firetrucks, ambulance and other random people came. In fact, a cop who was in line behind me at El Pollo Loco just a little bit ago was there...eating his chicken...and we recognized and had a moment. They were all very kind. It wasn't my fault and after exchanging info, they let me go. The cop taking my statement said, "You really should start driving safely."
to which I responded,
"Working on it...it really is a work in progress"
I was glad we could joke to ease the tension of the event
YAY PICTURES (for those of you with a morbid curiosity...it's ok. I know how you are)
This is poor Simon. I know you may not think it's bad...but it really was painful to see. Ugh. I can't explain it...but it was just so sad! ha. you think he's a little banged up...you should see the other guy.
Turns out...Simon won. I'm so proud of him. and sorta sad for this guy. he and his friend were in their early twenties... and were driving waaay too fast. (another witness confirmed it). His whole front bumper came off and was laying in the street too.
We had spectators and helpful people who gave hugs and told what they saw. Overall, God had his hand protecting us. I was pretty shaken up...but couldn't stop to catch my breath. Had to run home and eat and then take off for a full night at the recital listening to the boys perform and selling our baked goods. *sigh*
Needless to say, this will take some more processing. and my shoulders and neck are beginning to feel the aftermath as well. Honestly I feel like just laying down and crying and sleeping. oh and a good back massage. And if anyone is nice to me and gives me hugs, I about want to burst out in tears.
As you can see...it was an eventful day. I'm exhausted.
oh and if you want to, join me in sending a little prayer of thanks up to God for his protection ALL the time...even when we don't see it. car accidents always remind me of how many times I'm not in one when i very well could have or SHOULD have been. And also since Jake was with me...I'm grateful he wasn't hurt either. He even got BACK in the car with me later this evening to drive somewhere. bold kid.
Anywho. Day 2 will hopefully be not nearly as eventful. Sorry for the long post. Thanks for reading =)
Pre-11:38 am
had a leisurely morning at home...got ready for the day, watched part of a movie, packed my bags and departed for Simi Valley. Listened to great music, and arrived...fully rested and ready to work.
11:40-2:17
Me and Aunt Nell bake. and bake. and bake some more. and make dough. and make caramel. and grind nuts. and bake. and cool. and freeze stuff. and bake some more. (i now have her recipes for bread and caramel rolls memorized.) It was fun though. I like working hard, in a rhythm. All the while, we're discussing what will happen when she is gone and I play mom (schedules, meals, homework etc...)
Then post-baking (which really never stops all day, by the way), we pick up the younger boys from school and the older ones slowly trickle in.
Allow me to interject some helpful information here. I shall do a brief bio on each of the boys I am going to be "mothering" the rest of the week. Many of my readers may know these boys...but this is for those of you who don't.
This is Justin. He is 16 years old and a truly gifted musician. He received the honor to go salute the Queen of England in the New Years Day Parade in London because of his superior skills as a marching band drum major. (the reason for all the baking is to fund-raise for this trip). Justin is responsible, kind and has a true heart after God. great kid.
Seth is 14. He has the fantastic red hair and a great sense of humor to accompany it. He always shows interest in my life and my job and will listen to any story i tell him. He also plays in marching band (a mellophone?) Anyway...he's funny, sweet, mischievous and also loves God sincerely.
Jacob is one sweet 12-year-old boy. This kid is the most forth-coming with hugs of almost any boy his age i've met to date. Always has a smile, a joke, a random fact about something and is just overall a brilliant kid. He's tall, lanky and has got a killer smile (which will kill more post-braces!)
The kid i'm related to is on the right. Caleb is 10 years old. I had to put Dylan in the picture too. Those boys are best buddies. and many afternoons will find them around the kitchen table together doing homework. Caleb is such a monkey. He loves to play and is very opinionated and stubborn when it comes to arguing a point (even if he's wrong). I had him in Sunday school for several years and while it takes him a while to open up, he's got a sweet heart.
Oh this child. Nathan is 7 years old...the baby in the family. And somewhere along the line, too many someones fawned over him and now he KNOWS he's adorable. (notice the great chocolate smudge on his cheek). He loves to tag along with his older brothers, loves one-on-one time with me and is at that stage where he's not sure if it's cool to be cuddled and hugged anymore. he's just so cute!
So now that you see the boys...you can picture our days a little more. I help Nathan with homework...and keep on Caleb to get his done. Today also included driving three of the boys to various music lessons and picking them up again. Also the two oldest boys were getting ready for a band recital at their high school. Aunt Nell still hadn't packed for her trip (never got it done until 15 minutes before leaving the house for the airport)...she was making dinner (round 1 of the chicken burned up on a moody grill. literally...fire and smoke. Thank goodness for El Pollo Loco)...she was STILL baking (had to take stuff to the recital to sell)...so i ran around and did all the chauffeuring.
and then it happened.
I was sitting at a green light with Jacob (just getting back from guitar lessons) waiting to make a left hand turn. and I was telling him how i once sat behind a lady who was so cautious that she sat through three light cycles because she wouldn't turn left on a yellow and the traffic never cleared on a green. and as we were laughing about that...there came a clear spot to turn left. part way through the turn I see a little car speeding toward us...clearly not slowing down. I honk...and the rest happened in slow motion. he clipped the back of Simon's bumper and spun us 180.
we yelled.
and pulled over.
i was shaking.
and speechless.
Jacob kept exclaiming, "Woah, dude...wow what just happened. oh my goodness. wow." and as we got out of the car, i said, "i have no idea what to do. and just to let you know I'm going to start crying."
which i did. The lady who lived on the corner came out and gave me a great big hug and comforted us and started talking us through the whole thing, being the mom and general voice of responsibility, since my brain was jostled a bit. She really was an angel...totally just what I needed in that moment.
Police, firetrucks, ambulance and other random people came. In fact, a cop who was in line behind me at El Pollo Loco just a little bit ago was there...eating his chicken...and we recognized and had a moment. They were all very kind. It wasn't my fault and after exchanging info, they let me go. The cop taking my statement said, "You really should start driving safely."
to which I responded,
"Working on it...it really is a work in progress"
I was glad we could joke to ease the tension of the event
YAY PICTURES (for those of you with a morbid curiosity...it's ok. I know how you are)
This is poor Simon. I know you may not think it's bad...but it really was painful to see. Ugh. I can't explain it...but it was just so sad! ha. you think he's a little banged up...you should see the other guy.
Turns out...Simon won. I'm so proud of him. and sorta sad for this guy. he and his friend were in their early twenties... and were driving waaay too fast. (another witness confirmed it). His whole front bumper came off and was laying in the street too.
We had spectators and helpful people who gave hugs and told what they saw. Overall, God had his hand protecting us. I was pretty shaken up...but couldn't stop to catch my breath. Had to run home and eat and then take off for a full night at the recital listening to the boys perform and selling our baked goods. *sigh*
Needless to say, this will take some more processing. and my shoulders and neck are beginning to feel the aftermath as well. Honestly I feel like just laying down and crying and sleeping. oh and a good back massage. And if anyone is nice to me and gives me hugs, I about want to burst out in tears.
As you can see...it was an eventful day. I'm exhausted.
oh and if you want to, join me in sending a little prayer of thanks up to God for his protection ALL the time...even when we don't see it. car accidents always remind me of how many times I'm not in one when i very well could have or SHOULD have been. And also since Jake was with me...I'm grateful he wasn't hurt either. He even got BACK in the car with me later this evening to drive somewhere. bold kid.
Anywho. Day 2 will hopefully be not nearly as eventful. Sorry for the long post. Thanks for reading =)
3 comments:
Wow Suz! So happy and thankful you and Jacob are safe. Take big doses of Motrin and have someone massage your sore neck! Good luck on insurance paperwork!
Dan Luthi
So glad to see how well Simon turned out, especially when compared to the other car. Just won't let girls hit to hard on him I guess (guys always drive cars with a girls name)... good boy!
I would give you a good back massage! Suz - love you and prayerful in thanks it was not worse!
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