Wreck in an intersection

Have you ever been hit by someone running a red light? Unfortunately, this was my experience Tuesday in downtown Liberty. 

The day was clear and bright. I had just picked K up from preschool and was headed home. We talked about what we might eat for lunch and our plans for the rest of the day which included food, naps, and most inportant to K was what tv show she would watch after naps. I came to the stop light on gallatin street and for the life of me I cannot remember what my thoughts were as the light turned green and I proceeded through the interection as normal. I assume I was finalizing lunch ideas or mapping out how I would get all 3 kids to nap once we arrived home. Those thoughts, whatever thoughts they might have been, were suddenly gone as a maroon truck heedless to the red light hit our van. I didn't panic. I didn't scream. In fact, none of us screamed. As the truck hit, I remember turning the van in the direction we were pushed and then hitting the brakes. I watched as the maroon truck drove swiftly past us. In all honesty I wondered if they were going to stop. Their tire blew and they stopped about a block away. Our van barely made it to the side of the street where I turned it off and immediately started getting our children out the car. I began counting blessing as my hands started to shake. A truck had just ran a red light, hit me, and thankfully we were all okay. A lady and her husband  who witnessed the whole wreck stopped and called the police. She said, "I'll stay til the police get here. I saw it all and I'll be your eye witness." I told her how grateful I was, and then she added, "you did a great job by the way. You handled your vehicle well when she hit you." The truth of the matter is that I am sure Heavenly Father was watching over us. It was not I who handled the vehicle well, it my guardian angel. I am sure that I did not panic and that my kids didn't panic because the Lord was with us. A calm in the midst of a storm is what I experienced. I didn't start shaking until we were at stop and I saw my kids faces. 

A friend soon passed by, saw us, stopped and offered to take my kids home. To her I am still so very, very grateful. 

Michael was able to leave work and come to the accident scene. After about an hour of the police officer collecting my side of the story, thier side of the story, our insurance and license information, the tow truck arriving to take the undrivble van away, we left. I got on the phone with our insurance to set up a claim and give my account of what happened. It was after all this that I finally found time to cry. There were so many moments when I was talking to the officer, looking at my kids standing near the broken van,waiting for the tow truck, or waiting for Michael to arrive that I wanted to sit down and cry. After all someone had just hit me, can't a girl find a moment to cry? If felt good to let that out once it was all over. 

The driver of the other vehicle disputed our claim. So insurance recorded our stories, and we have waited for the police report. Hoping that it would turn the situation in my favor. After all, I knew I was telling the truth. I had a green light. I had been hit by a driver who ran the red light. 

Today, we heard back from insurance that the police report was in my favor. So today I count blessing that we won't have to pay for the damages to our van.

Heavenly Father was with us- of that I am sure! The following day it slowly began to dawn on me how serous it could have been. How much worse it could have been. The day after that was the first day I drove since the accident. I admit that as I came to a stop light, I hesitated and even flinched when the light turned green and a truck turned correctly on his signal. The solution I have found is to keep driving. Drive the nerves out of me... :)

We are okay. And that is all that matters.