Not My Time...

Some people that I told this story to didnt think anything of it but I like to think it was a miracle... I was on my way home last Friday night. Home to Thatcher that is. I had just gotten out of the mountains and was in Miami. I was driving in the outside lane and was directly even with another small car next to me. All of the sudden I see him trying to run me off the road. I swirved to my right to dodge him and notice I was going to hit a big pole. Without me thinking about it, my car swirved in the other direction, spun two times around and stopped facing on-coming traffic. Last time I noticed, there were rather a few of us cars traveling together and there were cars going the other direction. After dashing, well, spinning across 3 lanes, I managed to not hit a single one. Now, if you know me, you know how I drive. My music is ALWAYS on, my phone is ALWAYS in my lap, and I NEVER drive with my hands at 10 and 2. For some crazy reason, I turned my music off, my phone was in my purse, and my hands were at 10 and 2. I was in full control and most importantly ALERT when this happened. The other car didnt if hesitate to finish getting into my lane and speed off. I hurried and got back into my lane and was suddenly at that instant surrounded by all the same cars again. How did I NOT hit a single one? How did my car swirve the other way, missing the pole? I immediately began to freak out and called my mom. I was histerical. Nothing like this has ever happened to me and I really did think, no, I KNEW that I was going to wreck and get severely hurt. I should've. There was no logical way of getting around a wreck. But I did. My car was fine, I was fine, and everyone else on the road was fine. I pulled off the side of the road and calmed down. I took my time driving the rest of the way, still very much freaked out to drive. I got home and went and layed on my mom's bed and just cried and cried. She repeatedly told me that someone was watching over me. I told her that as I was on my way home from Globe, and was thinking about the whole scenerio, I realized that I needed turn my wheel the other way. She replied, "You didnt." Brings a whole new meaning to Carrie Underwood's hit song "Jesus Take The Wheel." I kept crying and my mom reassured me that Angels watch over us and that Heavenly Father protects us. If it isn't our time to go, we dont go. It sure enough was NOT my time... I cried the whole way from Globe to Thatcher crying my eyes out praying and thanking my Father in Heaven for saving my life that night. I should've wrecked. If anything else, it was a testimony strengthener for me and I consider myself very blessed to still be here.

My First Christmas Not Living At Home

When growing up there comes a certain reaching point when its the first time you are away from home for the holidays. Unfortunately, this year is that year for me. I have always been one who starts Christmas back in October. Ask my family. At home I would always make my mom drag the Christmas decorations out as soon as possible. I loved the movies, the music, the lights. Everything. This year I have been having a hard time with being away for most of the "Holiday Season". I am able to go home for the actual holidays but I wont be there to help bake Christmas goodies and I didnt help with the tree or I wont get to watch my mom wrap. All of these things, as weird as it sounds, I love and miss very much! My favorite thing to do was to decorate and when we finished, and the house was clean, me and my mom sat with Christmas music playing and drank hot chocolate with all of the lights turned off and the Christmas lights on. She doesnt even have to question whether or not I will do it. As hard as it is being away, I had fun decorating my OWN place for Christmas. And I sure did sit with hot chocolate and listened to Christmas music while all the lights were off except my tree lights. It wasnt has meaningful alone as it is at home but the tradition still lives on. My mom got really mad at me when I told her I took the "Ugly Santa". This stupid Santa has been in our family since my oldest brother's first Christmas. It is the ugliest thing you will ever see in your life but it means alot to us kids. And I sure brought it home with me. At night when I'm really missing home and hate the fact that I'm up here, I lay on my couch and look at my tree and hug the "Ugly Santa". I absolutely love this time of year and I dont think I will ever grow out of it. I'm a kid at heart when it comes to Christmas. I cant wait!

Thanksgiving

I dont have any pictures to show but I thought I would write about it anyway. I was so excited to be able to go home for Thanksgiving. At first I was going to go home on Wednesday and then back up here on Friday and then BACK DOWN on Friday night. I was going to have to work on Friday but to my surprise on Wednesday, just before I left work to go home, my boss pulled me aside and told me not to worry about coming in on Friday. To just stay and enjoy my weekend. I was sooo excited! I was able to go home from Wednesday night to Sunday afternoon. Thanksgiving was great! My favorite part is Grandma's Chicken Noodles that go on the potatoes. We all stayed up that night to play games. It was alot of funny until everyone started getting tired and we all were pretty much blah. My mom, sister, and sister in law all got up at 3am and went to Wal-Mart the next day, yes... Black Friday. We had never done it before and Hope really wanted this Trampoline for her kids so we headed to Wal-Mart at 3:30am. After we survived we all went to breakfast. It was alot of fun with just the girls. I neve get to really do anything with them sinse I moved. And then on Saturday we went to our craft shows that we go to every year. This time, my dad came with us. It was a little on the odd side but still alot of fun. I'm really thankful that I have such a wonderful family and even more thankful for the time I get to spend with them. It's not very much these days so every minute means alot. I am excited to see them all again real soon!