I saw this on the news today. A few hours away from me, 3 small children and two adults lost their lives in an instant when their car was hit by a speeding cement truck.
Stories like this make me sick. Sometimes I spend too much time contemplating the fragility of life, especially the lives of my children, without needing concrete evidence for it. I decided to call Jay’s aunt, Brenda, where Elliot was staying for the weekend. For some reassurance. To hear my daughter’s sweet voice.
Brenda answered the phone with a shaky voice and began, “Something happened today. Now, I don’t want you to worry. Everyone’s okay.” She and Elliot were in a car accident. Her car was t-boned. Thankfully, on the opposite side of where Elliot sat. I tried my hardest to silence the What-Ifs living in my head. What if Elliot were sitting on the side of the impact? What if the other car had been going slightly faster? What if the other car were a large truck?
Elliot assured her auntie that she wasn’t hurt. Brenda told me she wouldn’t blame me if I came to pick her up. It took a lot of strength for me not to. To not speed over there just to touch her warm skin. To prove that she still existed. That my world was still intact. But I wanted to believe Elliot’s assurances. To not give the incident any more power than it already had.
I said a quiet thank-you to the universe that she was alright. Held back tears and promised myself that I will hug her extra-tight when I pick her up tomorrow. This small girl lights up my every day. And I don’t like to think about how dark my life would be should it ever be robbed of her laughter.
I can’t even begin to imagine what you felt when you heard what you heard today. My heart hurts when I hear anything like that. I think the only thing you can do is not watch the news, and ignore the What Ifs as much as you can….
Oh my God, Andi. I can’t stop crying. I can’t imagine what life would be like without Elliot. I’m so thankful that she and Brenda are OK. When I was looking after Arlo today and he was sleeping in my arms, I thought of how much Arlo and Elliot have enriched our lives. I just love those two little munchkins so much.
Thank goodness Elliot is okay. I worry so much about everything you wrote about. I will hug my children extra tight today.
Oh, Andi. You handled this so much better than I would have. Those what-ifs keep me up at night, and I am so, so very glad that Elliot is safe.
I can’t even imagine where your mind went. Hugs to you and your sweet girlie.
Very frightening – and to lose a child has to be every mother’s worst nightmare. Sadly for too many, it’s a reality.
Thank goodness Elliot was safe.
Oh Andi. I am glad to hear Elliot’s ok. She probably will forget quickly – unfortunately you will not. I know extra hugs will make you feel better.
Sending good thoughts your way.
EBGDL , I cried when I heard about the family in Calgary. I cannot even comprehend how I would have reacted if our darling Elliot had been hurt. You are a very brave Mom and a wonderful one. Hugs to your whole family.
oh, andi. the first story, so tragic.
and your own. i’m so sorry for that shaken-up feeling i know you’ll have for quite a while. hug that sweet girl when you see her, and hug her again, and again… she’ll look at you like you’re nuts, and that’ll make you laugh, and laughing will help.
xxoo
I know. I really do. You just can’t think about losing them because just the thought of it is too much.
I’m so glad you’re all ok. I hope you stay that way.
Would you please just bring her over now so I can feel her warm skin. I wanna bake cookies with her. She is so brave and so is her Mamma. I so sorry you had to go through that Anya.
I’m glad she’s safe.
What an incredibly intense moment that must have been…and must continue to be. So glad that she’s safe.
Oh, how scary that must have been — to hear of a wreck involving your child after seeing news reports of something so awful.
Glad she’s OK. (I would have had to fight the temptation to race over too.)
This is terrifying. I’m so so so glad everyone is OK!! A Christmas gift, for sure.
glad you’re family is safe.
isn’t it uncanny how the timing of things can work out?
Oh Andi, how scary! I’m so relieved she is alright. You really handled the situation well, I don’t think I’d have reacted as well.
I fear things like this all the time. I worry every single time I get in a car, I worry every time any one I know gets in to a car.
I am so sorry, Andi! I am glad everyone is okay. How frightening.
You are so strong, and did the right thing for Elliot by not going.
Reminds me of when I was hit by a car and my parents were out of town. I am dreading the potential of having to deal with something like that.
Take care.
(And well written as usual!!)
I get sick, too. When we’re moms it seems like any of this could happen to our babies and we wonder why we’re all such wrecks, sometimes.
Worry, it can consume me. I am afraid to click on the link you have, only because I know how awful it will make me feel, not to mention the unspeakable pain the family must be in right now.
Oh how frightening! I echo what others have sad–you handled this so very, very well. I can make myself ill just thinking about the awful what-ifs…
that is so scary. i know how you feel! i sometimes think about the whatifs…and i usually end up making myself feel sick! it is the most horrible thought…what if ANYTHING happened to any of my children…
thank god your little one was fine! may that be the worse thing that ever happens!!!
You are so brave, insightful and compassionate! By leaving Elliott at her Aunt’s house, it made the accident no big deal to her. It also gave Auntie Brenda some comfort to have the Jewel stay with her. Kids take their emotional cues from their parents – I agree with Slouching Mom: if you had gone to pick her up, she would have been mad!
Larsen has a saying: ” I have them dead and buried every time they leave the house” It’s times like these that you thank your lucky stars (or thank God, if you think he is great) that it wasn’t your child, but we all feel for the parents of everyone in that car on Macleod Trail.
Let’s all be thankful this Christmas for our kids and for the Large Miracle of Life!
Love you lots and can’t wait to see you soon.
Oh my God, Andi. I’m so glad she’s okay. I think about horrible things happening all the time, almost idly, if that makes any sense, but if anything were to actually happen to my family, especially my children, I don’t know what I would do, I would fall to pieces.
Oh, I would have gone straight over. Gut instinct.
Heartbreaking. So glad she’s okay.
Thank goodness!! I’m so glad everyone is alright. Give her lots of extra love. Of course you will.
-HH
K now I’m fighting back tears. I’m kind of glad for those parents that they got to die with their kids. Death isn’t the worst, it’s to be alive when your kids die.
How scary! You handled it very well. I”m SO glad everyone was ok!
All of our worst nightmares…
That’s awful but I’m glad they were ok.
Honestly, I can relate to the worrying about losing loved ones. After suddenly losing my Dad several years back I still get really paranoid when I don’t hear from my family members. Sad but true
So glad everyone’s okay.
Yesterday our plumber told us our hot water heater had been fried by an electrical fire. He said we’re lucky our house didn’t burn down. The fire would have started right across the hall from where my daughter sleeps.
The What Ifs plague me, too.
It’s the curse of being a Mom. These thoughts will always haunt us.
Hi,
My Name is, James
great posts on here
this is my page:
http://Wr7uW0Ydtv.spaces.live.com/