something fun and then something scary

The kids were going stir crazy being cooped up in the apartment, so yesterday we ventured outside. I took the apartment complex map with me and bundled up the kids. We managed to take some wrong turns and found a fountain they can run around in. We were outside for an hour. We were all cold and hungry by the time we made it back in.

Here the kids relatively bundled up. It was not that cold, but being outside for an hour made us feel the chill. Thing 1 is wearing a red jacket and Thing 2 is wearing pink.

Here is the fountain we found. I just wished the apartment complex had more grass area, but I think that's too much to ask for right in Dallas where everything is built up.

Curious George is asking to go outside again today, but there is a freeze advisory until Sunday. Today the windchill is in the single digits and tomorrow it may even be colder. It's not much for an issue for me, having experienced Chicagoland weather, but we don't really have warm clothes!

Now for the scary part. Daddy cold me about 1pm yesterday to tell me that he was just in an accident. He was riding with 3 other people in someone's car (F150) when someone ran a red light and collided with them. He said he was alright just with stiff neck and back. He was in a hurry to get back to work, so we left it at that. I was shaken up and worried by the phone call, but not too bad.

At about 3pm, I decided to call Daddy back to see how he was feeling and to get more details. Then, the question popped in my head "were you wearing your seatbelt?". And he said "No." Right then and there, I was instantly angry and started sobbing. What stupidity?! He said he didn't mean to NOT wear it, but it slipped his mind. Haven't we made it a point with Curious George that we NEVER move until EVERYONE has had their seatbelt on.

Daddy was admittedly shaken up and beating himself up over it. We both know how lucky he was and we thank God for it. The car he was in was just coming from a stop (2nd vehicle from the light), so they were probably barely accelerating when they were hit by a smaller car. The smaller car slid, almost spinning, but it hit a utility poll. According to Daddy, the car was totaled, but the driver was not hurt. The F150 he was in was undrivable so they all had to hitch a ride with other people back to work. Medics came to their work to check everyone out, so the news spread about the accident and everyone checked on the all of them involved in the accident. Thank God.

While I was thanking God that Daddy was alright, I was not happy about the fact that he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. Words that came out of my mouth were, "had you been any faster, you would have been found several feet outside of the truck" and "you would have had broken bones from bracing yourself!"

I love this man, and the thought of loosing him is very scary. But less scary than the fact that 3 of his children would not have remembered him had something fatal happened to him, and 1 would never have known him at all. Forget the fact that I will be left alone with small children and in a state where we know no one.

Jesus, I thank you for all the blessings we've received and continue to receive. Thank you for keeping Daddy safe yesterday.

Daddy apologized and promised never to forget to use his seatbelt.