A little bit perspective

So... yesterday I experienced something I hope I don't have to experience very often. Mom and dad were in town and all of us decided to to get together for the weekend. We watched conference (okay... watched, slept, played yahtzee, knitted, etc.) and then just spent some time together.

I decided that it was time for me to go home and get some stuff done at home. I took my usual route home and was just driving on the freeway. As driving, I was thinking that there seemed to be a lot of traffic on the road for a Sunday afternoon. Usually, it's pretty empty. At one point, I decided to get in the right lane because that seemed to be the one with less traffic than the middle lanes.

While in that lane, I was passing a minivan on my left. At one point, I noticed that the minivan was started to come into my lane. I increased my speed a little bit to get out of the way, but didn't make it. The minivan clipped my car. Talk about an incredible journey. I think time stopped while I decided to do a 405 degree turn on I-15 and go across 3 (maybe 4) lanes of traffic, twice. When I finally came to a stop I was facing west (which isn't good when traffic is going north). My legs started shaking at that point when I decided I needed to get my car in a more safer location and had to back up into the emergency lane.

I made some phone calls and got out of my car at that point. The minivan that hit me was on the shoulder and another Mazda3 was on the shoulder as well (... for those who don't know, I drive a Mazda3 and love it...). Apparently the other Mazda3 hit the minivan and then the minivan hit me.

Russell and Kim were coming to meet me and about then some things started to hit me.

I was really lucky... here's the reasons why...

• There were 3 cars that were involved, yet 2 out of 3 of us were able to drive away.
• Everyone involved in the accident was able to walk away without a scratch on them. I'm sure all of us are experiencing a little whiplash but considering what could have happened... that's not bad.
• While at the scene of the accident, everyone was so calm and considerate. It was an accident. (Accident [noun]: 1 a: an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance b: lack of intention or necessity : chance ...2 c: an unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured but for which legal relief may be sought)
• I know that I'm going to be sore for a little while, I was able to go to work the next day.
• If the minivan would have hit me when I first noticed it coming into my lane... I would have been hit on the driver's door...
• Russell and Kim were still at Sherrie's and were able to come quickly to help me out.
• I went to the urgent care to get my back checked out and everything looked normal.
• At this point, the collision didn't even seem to hit the framework of the car.
• I have friends that work close by me and are able to help me out until I get a rental.
• I don't know how long it will take to fix my car but I am going to a conference in Portland next week so I won't even need a car if I can make it through this week. :D

Even though the timing isn't great and it's unfortunate, I realize that the things that really matter (me, the young man in the other Mazda, the couple with their 2 kids and their dog) are okay. My cute little car is messed up but it can be fixed. I had a good weekend and am a little sore right now but everything will be okay and back to normal soon.