Crash, Jump, Tree

I'mma gonna this post with, yes - we are okay.
We have no broken bones, no hospitalization, we walked away with bruising and tender spots with a side of headaches - lucky.

This past weekend, en route to Grand Forks, we left lunch on broadway in Fargo - started heading west on 7th and got broadsided by a buick who ran a red light on 10th. I can hear the crunch, I can feel the jostle, and I can practically watch each screen play out in my mind from seconds before the actual crash, to the tightening of the seat belt, to the slow grading creep the truck seemed to take toward the street light pole, stopping just shy of the major pole but taking out the pedestrian pole. I've been driving for 20 years - I've never experienced that type of crash. The police appeared on scene, the firetruck, and then the ambulance.

Matt got out of the vehicle to check on the other driver - both of her airbags had deployed - her car looked done. She had first hit us at the front wheel well and then due to the force actually careened back and her rear hit our rear tire well as well before sending her perpendicular to her original travel. 911 was on the phone through blue tooth and asking for address, to which we didn't know - I remember careening my neck through the pain of the seat belt tension to see the traffic signs on the lights above us. That was the first point where we were suddenly very aware we were not at home - we had no vehicle, we didn't know where we were, and we had no back up car. The seat belt tensions had blown and pieces of the vehicle were dragging underneath - these along with the low tires made the car unable for us to drive. Matt began working on insurance angles after the paramedics cleared me and I started working on options for us to get home and also just get out of the cold. We stood there on the corner with our luggage.

We had three heroes that day for sure - I called Jon to let him know we weren't going to be making it to Grand Forks - he was in Fargo and volunteered to come grab us. I didn't have anywhere lined up for us to go but at least it got us off the streets so we could game plan. I was also lucky to remember Matt telling me about NDSU having a game in town that day - I was able to secure a ride back with Wade and Lynn as they had come to the game. So Scraper took us to them and then they took us home. We were sore, tender, sad, and relieved. Aside from having friends to call, and no real harm done, we were so glad that the kids were home with my parents. I've been worried enough about the one inside of me and the impact she's had but compounding with E and G - that's enough keep me awake at night.

Updated Valley News Story.

So enough of the serious - we had a weekend of joy too.

On Saturday morning, GRE had their annual Christmas party. The thing about their party is they encourage family to come - so that gave us an invitation to come with Mom to Sky Zone Trampoline Park. E had already been with Grandma as she had a sleep over the night before. G has been fighting off croup all week so we didn't want to put Grandma through a hard night so he went with us the next day. They had a blast. She was a little ensure from the start but by the end was a little jumping machine. Grady just giggled the entire time and he didn't even jump, mostly just fell down.
The kids then went to out to the farm so we could go to "Grand Forks."

On Sunday, after processing our insurance claim - we headed out to get the kids, did errands, and then headed home for naps. We ended the night with decorating the tree which was a bit like kissing a wolverine. Stressful and not enough arms. There was a lot of "once it's on the Christmas tree, we only look, don't touch." or "Mom is the only one that reaches into the ornament box." or "Grady we don't pull on the TREE!"

ALR: Here's one for you to put up, Eleanor.
EER takes ornament, puts it on the tree on the same branch as she put the last 4 ornaments on. 
Branch has begun to droop.
ALR: Eleanor, why don't you spread out your ornaments more, then you can see them better.
EER: points at branch: This is my stuff.
MJR looks at ALR: That's hard to argue with.