it doesn't matter how old they are...

john and i had a late dinner party to go to last night. so katherine, hannah, and davis went out to dinner early so as to get back in time to trade off puppy duty. the three had only been gone for about 30 minutes when our local news reported a car crash involving three cars with possible fatalities in the area to which they were headed. the odds were it wasn't them, but i called katherine anyway...

it rang,
and rang,
and rang...
no answer
then voicemail.

i called again.

it rang,
and rang,
and rang...
no answer
then voicemail.

my body started to react.
i got a knot in my chest,
my face and ears started to burn,
i could hear my heart beating... loudly,
and my mind began to race.

i texted katherine.
no reply.

i quickly resorted to the police scanner application on my phone
and listened for further information.

the police called for more ambulances,
an officer indicated that the jaws-of-life was going to be needed to extricate victims from at least one of the vehicles involved.

the kids had been running late for dinner.
but i told them to take their time and be careful.
did i tell katherine i loved her?
yes, i did!i always do.

"you need to call the coroner."
i heard the officer tell the dispatcher.

oh.my.God!

still no reply from katherine.

i called one more time.

it rang,
and rang,
and rang...

i totally started to go into full panic mode!

and rang.

and then...

she answered!

SHE.ANSWERED!

~@~

katherine explained that her ringer was turned off and she didn't know i'd called.
she said they were safe at the restaurant and waiting for the waiter to bring them their food.

it wasn't them in the wreck,
thank.God!

i felt relief come over my body.

"have fun, enjoy your dinner, and y'all be very careful coming home, " i told her.
"ok, mom," she reassured me, "we will."
"i love you," i told her.i always do!
i had the opportunity, the gift, of being able to say that to her again!
"i love you too. i'll see you guys later," she replied.

~@~

it was a gift that my child was uninvolved...
that she was safe!hannah and davis were too!!!
~@~

however, it was not the same story for those who were involved in the wreck...

~@~

i learned later that there were three fatalities as a result of that crash.
there were others very seriously injured.

~@~

today, i ask for prayers for the victims and their families.

today, i ask that you slow down, pay attention, and always drive soberly!

today, i ask that you to remember to thank God for all your blessings.
...

love and God's blessings,
dani xxx