One scary moment...

Three weeks ago tonight, I had one of the most terrifying experiences since I have been driving. I was on my way to church for GSM (that's our student ministry). I was running a little late, as I almost always am because I try to get everyone ready for bed before I go so that Tony doesn't have to worry with all that AND actually getting them all in the bed! I remember thinking as I was leaving our house how eery it looked outside. It was already pretty dark and very foggy! I was chewing gum, thinking, and singing every once in a while. I was on Ozora road, I had passed Bay Creek Park and Adele was on...I had just glanced at the clock to see that it was 6:34, so I was trying to predict what time I'd probably make it to church...then I went back to Adele. She and I were belting out "nevermind I will find someone like you" and I remember looking at the cars coming towards me...there were three and then seriously people....it was BAM. I was shocked! I instantly took my foot off the gas as I tried to wrap my head around what had just happened. I remembered seeing out the drivers window the stomach/body/legs of a deer. I think it tried to jump over the car. It didn't make it! Glass was everywhere; the windshield was shattered. I'm thinking I need to pull over...my thought process...not on the side of the road, it's foggy cars might hit you, the church just up the road...yes, that's where I'll go! I pulled into the turn of the church, slowed down trying to decide if it's dangerous to stop here and decide it probably is, so I pull into the drive of the church and stop. At this point, I'm still in shock. I can see that there's a little blood on my hand, there is glass everywhere...all over my coat, all in my hands, I can even feel some in my mouth, and all I could think was: THAT DEER IS ON TOP OF THE CAR AND HE IS GOING TO COME IN THE CAR AND GET ME! Irrational, yes! But I hadn't seen what happened to him and I was just sure he was up there and passed out or something and he was going to come to and be mad! HA! The windshield was totally ripped from the roof of the car and there was a possibility! :) I got my phone out of my pocket and tried Tony...no answer. I tried Lori...no answer. I tried Justin...no answer. I tried our Student Pastor...no answer. I tried a student helper...no answer. I was beginning to panic a little b/c no one had seen what happened (I'm guessing b/c no one stopped) and no one was answering. I contemplated calling 911 b/c there's that fire station right down the road and I knew they would get to me quickly and help me out! But, I tried Lori one more time and she answered. Our conversation as I remember it...Lori:I'm sorry I ...Me:Lori, a deer just hit my car, I'm on Ozora can you send Justin? Lori: yeeaah. are you okay? Me: I think so. I can see that my hand is bleeding, (begin to cry), I can feel some glass in my mouth, and I'm just really scared! I can't get Tony so he doesn't know. Lori: Justin is on his way, I'll keep calling Tony.

Oh my goodness I'd been fine (sorta) until I got to speak with someone I love and then it was like when you're hurt and you get to your mom and it's okay to cry then! Seriously...I just cried that little bit. I can't remember exactly what I was doing from the time I talked to Lori until Justin pulled up(I remembered after writing all this that I called one of my youth at church to tell her what had happened b/c I had spoken with her earlier and knew she was expecting me)...I did call Justin right before he got to me b/c I was hearing a weird creaking sound and I was afraid that the windshield might be falling in, so I asked him if he thought I should get out. He said to do whatever to be safe. So I decided to stay in the car...since I didn't know if the deer was still up there and all! So Justin pulls up behind me and I was a little confused b/c there was this really bright light too and I thought maybe a police man had pulled up...but it was just Justin wearing a head lamp! Rock my socks off! Best part of that entire stinking thing...Justin with his head lamp...he's looking all over the car...awesome. He tells me to get out of the car in one motion...I say I don't think I can do that but I'll try. I get out. Justin tells me to go sit in his car. I don't (not sure why...at this point my adrenaline had totally kicked into overdrive and I'm pretty sure I talked nonstop) I take off my coat, Justin wipes all the glass off my jeans with a towel he had...he checks my face for cuts...sees none, he gets me a capri sun like packet of gatorade and I rinse my mouth out with it...the glass comes out...I decide that I have to get pictures of this. I pull out my phone and am shocked at what it looks like! Justin cleans the glass out of the seat with a brush/broom he had in the back of his car. He drives the car up into the parking lot of the church and I drive his car up behind him. I get Tony on the phone and tell him that I'm going to have Justin just take me to the church and I'll get a ride home. He tells me that I need to go to the hospital. I tell him that I am not hurt and I am fine. He insists that I talk to my mama and get her opinion (she's a pharmacist and we ask her all medical questions). I really hated to call her b/c I knew this would totally freak her and my daddy out and they're an hour away! I call her anyway...tell the quick version of the story...tell her that I am not hurt, just a few cuts on my hands. She agrees I do not need to go to the hospital, so Justin takes me to church. When I get there I see in the light that there is glass all on the palms of my hands and between my fingers. I go wash my hands and find some glass in my hair in the bathroom. I go into GSM late and our Student Pastor points out that I've just arrived after hitting a deer. My phone rings...I go back out and it's my sweet daddy calling to see if he needs to come and check on me (he would've totally done it ya'll!) I assured him that I am fine! I stayed through GSM and while telling the story to some of the girls afterwards I find some more glass in my eyebrow. I talk to Tony and he says that he's going with his dad to put a tarp on the car b/c it's kinda rainy. When I got back to our house, Tony's mom was here and so I tell her the story show her the pictures...we both sit there kinda shocked at how bad the car looks. Tony and his dad return with EVERYTHING from the car b/c they are pretty sure that'll be the last time they see the car (thinking it will be totalled). We called the insurance company that night, they had the car towed the next morning to a body shop. It sat there for just 2 days before the insurance company decided it was indeed totalled. 2 days later, friends at school told me where the deer I hit was...I made Tony go take pictures of it so I could see where it was and know in fact it would not be hunting me down (just kidding...kinda) and I also had him go take pictures of the car in the daylight so I could see what it looked like in light...scary!
So now I've written a novel to say that I was so scared! Seriously an angel was riding with me and somehow helped me get into that church lot. I am so glad I didn't see the deer coming as it could have been so much worse. I am also glad I was going the exact speed that I was and left my house at the exact time that I did...seconds difference and that deer could have come through my window and been in the seat with me. The next day I was a little late for school b/c I sat with Sawyer and played a few more games of Peek-a-boo and pattycake as I was reminded of just how precious life is and how it can so easily change...I was just riding to church, chewing my gum, singing with Adele.

Sorry I can't move the pictures around...don't know why!