On Our Drive Home...

 God has been merciful and blessed us, and caused His face on us to shine. 

On September 26, 6.5hrs into my 8hr road trip with the kids, we were hit at highway speed by a pickup truck and trailer who failed to see me signalling and slowing down to turn off the highway. Although our vehicle rolled significantly and our belongings were strewn across the highway, God knew our stories were not to come to an end just yet, and by some form of a miracle all four children and myself were pulled out of the suburban with very minimal injuries. 

Thankfully I was the one with the worst of it which required some staples to a head wound, but I'll gladly take that over all of the other, more likely, possibilities. Our children are living proof that ultimately the Lord kept us from harm. He watches over our lives just as He promises. 

We have been well cared for by our small-but-mighty church community which carried us the day of and those following. 

The children and I were brought by ambulance to Quensel. Three of us were in neck braces and I was on a stretcher. Clara and James rode on my lap. I was very adamant that the children stay with me, and thankfully they didn't have severe injuries so they were able to. But I did find it laughable that I was transferred onto the hospital bed in this ER room and then was left with all four kids running around. 

Chantelle met us at the hospital to help (a very welcomed relief!) and the police officer brought the kids chicken nuggets and fries. 

All the kids were assessed as okay, minor whiplash, normal seat belt burns. I went for a CT scan which came back all clear and once my head wound was stapled up we were cleared to go. 

 Will was still in Smithers for work but left as quickly as he could. He ended up arriving back at home just fifteen minutes before we did. We didn't have our blankets or pillows but between the Voorhorsts and the Schoutens they supplied us enough to sleep with. 

The next day Will and a friend went to collect most of our belongings from our truck in the wrecking yard and we were blessed by some ladies doing our laundry, caring for the children, grocery shopping, and making meals. Saturday was moving day for one church family today, and a wedding day for another, so we were so grateful for everyone who made room to help us too.

Seeing these photos, and the ones the police officer took of the vehicle upside-down off the highway, and it just blows my mind that none of the children were injured. It truly is such a miracle that all of our lives were spared. 

The song Goodness of God was very fittingly running through my head on Saturday 

"I love You, Lord

Oh, Your mercy never failed me

And all my days, I've been held in Your hands

From the moment that I wake up

Until I lay my head

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful

All my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God"

Several items were too covered in blood to be deemed salvageable (books, my sewing bag), and others were majorly mangled and also retired (these suitcases, the stroller)

Sweet Clara didn't understand any of what was going on, but she was an absolute champ through it all. 

Delilah was fighting pink eye that Sunday so she stayed home from church with me and took such great care of me, it was really sweet. She even made me lunch! 

And that's where I'll conclude this post about our car accident. The rest of the blog posts will hopefully be the standard weekly updates, just very behind schedule. 

Wear your seat belts, folks. You might be a good driver but that doesn't mean other drivers on the road are...