We are at the point in the school year where we need more time in each day! I still haven't gotten the kids to do thank you cards from their birthday party - I am ashamed, but we will get them out soon (minus the personalized thank you for the gift received since Tyler puked on the list). I feel like my brain is constantly running through things we need to do, places we need to be, and arrangements that need to be made (sitters, school lunch payments, etc.), and seemingly every day it is bedtime for the kiddos before I know it (and sometimes before I have even gotten around to preparing dinner or demanding that the kids take baths).
Yesterday, though, I was reminded repeatedly to take a moment to appreciate our fun and love-filled busy lives. I met Lance for lunch and we talked about it being exactly one year from when Ray-Ray had the stroke. Tyler and Lance have both been crying and sad, but we try to tell the kids and remember ourselves, to be grateful for the time we had and for each day that we have with all of our family now. Then, I was rushing around at work trying to leave a bit early so I could pick up the kids and get them home and fed before Tyler's baseball game (started at 7:00 - was supposed to be there at 6:30) and was mentally congratulating myself on actually making good time and being on the ball for a change, when a pretty bad accident happened right in front of me. A car from the other two lanes of traffic shot across four lanes and t-boned the car in front of me going the other direction. It was determined later that the car that caused the accident clipped the bumper of another vehicle turning into the gas station which catapulted him across - but from my viewpoint (and the other witnesses and driver who was hit) it looked like he slammed on the gas and lost control! I got out of my car and ran to the driver who was hit (an off-duty fireman stopped to help the guy in the other vehicle who was very seriously injured), and then called 911 and was asked by the fireman to relay information about the condition of the man in the car that hit the driver in front of me. The driver of the car that was hit was shaken up and had some cuts and scrapes (and his glasses flew off into the middle of the road which I just happened to find) - but did not have serious injuries and climbed out of his passenger seat on his own accord. I was blocked in by emergency vehicles and thought I needed to stay as a witness to the accident (although the police officer didn't ask any questions of me), so I was suddenly in an unexpected time crunch. The schedule delay, though, was definitely put into perspective when I recognized that a difference in just a few seconds could have meant I was the one hit (there was no time to react and the driver in front of me could have done nothing to avoid the accident), or I could have walked up to a much more serious situation with the other driver (I do think the driver who was injured will be okay - he just definitely needed an ambulance ASAP). It impressed upon me that bad things can happen in seconds, and you never know when your life will change drastically.
So, instead of being stressed about being late (which we were), or that the kids had not eaten anything (unless pop-tarts and icees after the game count) - we enjoyed a beautiful evening at the ball park - watching Tyler learn to play and love baseball, spending time as a family, and yes, being grateful that we all have each other.
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