Traveling home last night, the freeway came to a stall.
"Drat! Gonna be later getting home" was my first (selfish) thought.
You know the drill . . . I maneuvered the car a little trying to glimpse the cause.
Red and blue lights flashed in the distance of the chilly evening and we discussed exiting the freeway and taking a detour. We decided to continue on I5 southbound as traffic was moving a little and the scene was not too far off.
Traffic was diverted onto the right shoulder and a SUV was on it's side in the middle of the two lanes, looking like it had been on a wild ride. As we passed, we witnessed a group of officers in the median holding up a yellow tarp.
The lighthearted mood in our car turned somber as we surveyed the scene. Not good.
Turns out our assumptions were correct. The crumpled body of an 8 year old boy was on the other side of the tarp. He had been ejected from the vehicle and had died at the scene.
My heart and mind keep returning to that place. At milepost 234, a family forever changed.
As I was doing laundry on Sunday evening, his mother was probably sitting at the bedside of the 13 year old brother that had been seriously injured in the crash - heartbroken with tears streaming down her cheeks. While I whisked the children off to school the next morning, she was planning a funeral.
When was the last time she told him she loved him? Held his hand? Made him his favorite dinner? Read him a story?
We never know.
There's a message for me . . . Make it count. Be kind, be patient, be loving and embrace even the simplest things.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Christmas Break
I've grabbed these brown/cream plates over the years at thriftstores and have quite a stack. My family complains that I have so many decorations on the table there is barely room to eat. Priorities Man, priorities Man!
Our friendly staff, taking orders and delivering dessert
An extremely happy little girl - now the owner of her own balance beam!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Not much sleep
2 beds
5 occupants
VERY LITTLE SLEEP!
This is how it went. Papa and Mama Bear switched usual sides of the bed (think it had something to do with Papa Bear wanting to doze and FINALLY giving Mama control of the remote). Teenager Bears are together in the other bed- not excited about the arrangement. Baby Bear is in a makeshift bed assembled by pulling 2 uncomfortable chairs together.
Lights go off.
Father Bear begins snoring loudly, steadily increasing in volume
Mother Bear is restless. Tells Father Bear to turn over, tells baby bear to stop singing, fields questions from the other two about Papas snoring. Gets up to adjust thermostat on the wall.
Still restless. Wakes up Papa Bear and "suggests" that they switch sides of the bed as "they" do not seem to be sleeping.
Papa Bear cooperates. Continues the snoring
Baby Bear still talking. Upon questioning, she confides that she is rehearsing her "sales speech" for tomorrow's Bridal Show. She is excited and says she will tell Mama in the morning.
Just drifting off . . .
Teenager girl Bear (chronic sleep talker) hollers loudly, "RAIN!"
Baby Bear gets out of makeshift bed and peeks out the window. "No rain", she reports.
Mother Bear gets up to adjust thermostat again. Her eyes ain't what they used to be and she has to stand 3 ft away from the controls and attempt to decipher their meaning. Fan kicks on - all is well.
A few hours pass . . .
Baby Bear touches mom on shoulder - "Can I please get in bed with you - that is a horribly uncomfortable bed?" Baby squeezes between Papa & Mama.
Mama gets up to use the restroom and check the thermostat.
Mama crawls in the opposite end of the bed, so her head is at the foot end of the bed. Both Papa and Baby Bear touch Mamas feet and legs, stumped as to the situation. Finally . . . some sleep.
Baby Bear gets out of bed, stopping at Mama's head to alert her, "I'm gonna barf!" She then scurries to the bathroom to get rid of her supper.
Never so glad to see light peeking through the curtains signaling that night was O-V-E-R!
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