Late Saturday night, Jake and I decided to drive up to Spokane. That night I realized I would really like to come up to Spokane for a week or so for some more help with Robbie, so in a spontaneous tornado of deciding and planning and packing, we hit the road. Our plan was to drive through the night. That way we would get there first thing in the morning, and Jake would be able to rest up a bit rather than having to drive straight back down so he could go to school on Monday.
Robbie slept so well in the car, it was awesome. Our car is very small, and his car seat doesn't fit in the center of the back, so we have it placed on the passenger side. I sat in the back with him. The roads were great, and the trip was going smoothly.
It happened about 4 a.m. MST. Traveling at about 70 mph, we hit black ice.
I had been sleeping, but not a second passed from the time the car began spinning before I was fully alert and grabbing onto Robbie's car seat, as if that would do something to protect him. I had never been so afraid. And there wasn't even time to process the terror. The treasures of my life--my husband, three-week old baby--and I were in a car spinning quickly and out of control. We spun off the road and down a hill into a ditch-type area, kind of rocky but overgrown with tall grass.
It happened so fast. I'm not sure when we hit the metal poles or when the back windshield shattered in on us. All I knew as our car finally halted was that, despite us all being covered in glass, I was still alive, and Jake was still alive, and, after a terrifying and frantic assessment, so was our baby.
And all of this with angels surrounding us.
Blessing: Our car was sliding sideways off the road, and just before we started heading down the hill, our tail spun, which is probably the reason we didn't roll over.
Blessing: Robbie slept through the whole thing.
Blessing: Jake was able to miraculously back our car out of the ditch and back up to the road afterward.
Blessing: The passenger side of the car, where our little angel was seated, was essentially untouched and unharmed through the whole accident.
Blessing: This all happened right next to a service exit, where we would've had a payphone, had we needed one.
Blessing: A young man in a camper had pulled over on said service exit about 30 minutes earlier. He saw and heard this all happen. He was able to help us. He had a bag and tape, so they were able to craft together a make-shift back windshield for the rest of our journey.
Blessing: We traveled home the last 2 hours of our journey. The car functioned, and we were completely safe. Also a plus, the noise of the garbage bag kind of lulled Robbie to sleep. :)
Blessing: I'm pretty sure the scratch on my arm, from some of the glass, I assume, is the worst physical harm any of us received.
As we prayed for safety at the beginning of our journey, I believe that Heavenly Father was listening. I cannot believe how lucky we are, and I am so grateful for the Lord's love, protection, and mercy.
