Christmas Time

Friday, October 22, 2010

not quite the day i had expected...

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=13372845

this morning the kids and i prepared for the day. henry dressed for school and recited 1 corinthians 13 which he would recite at speech meet shortly after the school day got started.

after dropping him off i found a parking space and began the lengthy process of unloading the three girls, pulling out the stroller and making sure we had the diaper bag, the snack bag and my purse. all things were accounted for and so we began heading across the parking lot to the other property where speech meet would take place.

one of henry's classmate's little sister, embry, was hanging out with daphne and anna and so we told her to ask her mom and dad if she could head over to the other side with us. with their permission we again headed toward the other building. at the edge of the school's drive i told the girls to stop so we could make sure it was safe. (this is standard protocol for us.) a car was approaching from the right and another car was coming to the exit drive across the street. the approaching car stopped in the road and waved us across but before going i looked to the driver across from us. he looked up at us and then stopped his van. with this i understood it to mean we could proceed and so we did. when we had reached half way across the street the gentleman began turning left right towards the girls and me. i had noticed his window was down before crossing street. when he began turning into us i began screaming, "stop! stop! no! no!"

embry was hit first and his front drivers wheel ran over her and then he hit our daphne who was pushed to the ground. i turned and could see daph was not pinned or seriously injured but embry was partially under the man's vehicle. without thinking, i pulled her out from under the car and the man said, "i'm sorry. i'm sorry" i just replied, "ok. could you pull over please." at this our friends, embry's parents, were there and i handed her over into her mother's arms. i went to daphne and just held on to her and asked another parent to take my two little girls in where my friend was waiting to see our big kids recite the selections for speech meet.

the shock and fear that i was experiencing rivals very little else. people began congregating around us calling 911 asking questions and praying. the prayerfulness of the people was amazing. as i stood shaking and crying i could see people stopping and praying. at one point i looked up and saw standing there in his white starched shirt, our friend, tom askew. i could see that he was praying. he was a source of strength and calm for me mentally.

fire trucks, two ambulances and a couple of sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene and began assessing the girls. it was evident that embry was more serious and so they began loading her in the ambulance. they assessed daph and determined she needed to go to the er as well to be on the safe side.

all this was happening and i was being asked a ton of questions and giving the officers all the info i had and then i look up and there across the way is the gentleman that had been driving. my heart was broken for embry and for her family and my heart was aching for my family but my heart was so broken for this man as well. he never even saw our girls. he didn't do it on purpose. this man is paralyzed from the waist down from an accident years ago and he is a grandfather. this was breaking his heart.

we went to the hospital and daph was in shock for a while. her injuries were so very minor. she has a bruise on her hip and a scrape on her elbow. our little friend was taken to a different hospital and after a long day she left the hospital with no internal injuries, no broken bones and 13 stitches to her knee. our mighty God protected our girls this morning.
i love our school family for many reasons but i found another reason this morning. in light of a very scary and serious accident the parents first response was to pray and then to comfort all involved. it was a place where i saw and i experienced grace. none of these responses were generated by these people but rather from Christ, our Cornerstone. John 13:35 says, "by this all men will know that you are my disciples- if you love one another."

please pray for the man who was driving that he might know and feel the grace of God in this traumatic experience. pray for me and ross to have an opportunity to express our love to him and his wife. pray for embry to heal physically. pray for daphne, anna, ramey and embry to heal emotionally as any fear could surface days or weeks from now. pray for me as i struggle with having been the one who was caring for e along with my own girls.

tonight, hug your babies a little tighter for we do not know what tomorrow will bring.

now these things remain: faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is love.

9 comments:

David Tortorice said...

You show great strength and compassion that you are abloe and willing to forgive and even pray for the gentleman driving the vehicle. Our world would be a much better place if more people would or could do exactly as you are doing. Our prayers are with you as well.

laurie said...

My goodness! I'm praising Jesus for being ya'lls Protector and Shield! We will pray for all that were involved. Much love, grace and healing sweet friend!! Praying for you tonight!

Anonymous said...

I can not even tell you how thankful I am for the outcome of this accident. How amazing it is that you were surrounded by God's love through those parents and bystanders. It is so reassuring to know that your prayers were heard and answered by our Generous Father! I am praying for everyone involved and especially the driver. Love you all!

Niki and Mario

Mrs Bic said...

i love you. praise the Lord.

laurie said...

My goodness! I'm praising Jesus for being ya'lls Protector and Shield! We will pray for all that were involved. Much love, grace and healing sweet friend!! Praying for you tonight!

Anonymous said...

Mandy -

I'm so sorry that your Friday was too eventful. I will be praying for Daphne, your little friend, and the man who was driving. I certainly thank God for his protection and provision for you!

Sincerely,
Jennifer Pierpont (Ella's mom from St. Andrews)

Emily Ryan said...

Oh my, Mandy! I am so, so thankful the girls are okay! I will pray along with yall for complete emotional recovery and for the man involved. Praise God!

Marilyn Tolson said...

Mandy, Mandy, you wrote it so well. We are so proud of you, and so in awe of what God did and is doing. This was an ACCIDENT in every sense of the word. Even bigger than that, however, is that it was God's DESIGN to show Himself to us. I don't know why He did it this way, but it is SO evident that HE DID IT... for His own glory and praise. Everyone who hears the whole story cannot say anything. It really happened. E was really fully run over by the tire of this minivan on her belly and leg. She really has no injuries except the gash on her leg. Impossible? I think not. In this world we are just so used to the idea that God doesn't show up, if He really is even there. He is so serious about us knowing Him, and His creativity amazes me. Friday's horrific possibilities have turned out for obvious amazing grace of the loving uncreated Creator God and His glory. I will continue to be in shock each time I think of this impossibility that happened to us. This will always bring praise and thanksgiving to my heart and lips. Our granddaughter is well, today, and God is glorified. Wow.
PLEASE continue to lift up Mandy and this grandfather, that God will bless them immensely.

Heather Choi said...

Mandy,

No one could've ever imagined what lie ahead that morning. Now I even find it hard to believe that the accident really happened. Although it did and praise God that all are physically alright.
I prayed and am praying for the insight you may have to calm, protect, and assure Daphne in the weeks to come. I too wonder if she may display effects of this traumatic experience. but I don't wonder that you will know about her needs and how to meet them while God whispers in your ear and holds your hand.
Thank you for sharing your account of that day.

Much love to you and your family!

Heather