on why i'm wearing an{awesome} jumpsuit.

Monday morning started with quite the bang, literally.

It was 7:20am, time to drive Finny and Cal to school.

I pulled out of our neighborhood, onto a busy street.
I pulled up to a red light and was trying to turn right.
I crept my van forward but at the last minute decided to wait. There was a speeding car coming and I didn't want to cut it off.
In the split second that I made the above decision, I simultaneously heard a loud crash and felt a sharp slap to my lower back.
I had just been rear ended. With all 4 boys in the car.
For a second I could only think of my pain. And then I quickly realized that my boys were strangely quiet.
I quickly turned to them "Are you guys ok???!!!"
"Yes, mommy", they said in shock.
I didn't want to block the intersection, so I drove slowly, waiting for a chance to pull over.
I noticed the other car following.
We eventually pulled into a police station, which was closed til 9am. Bummer.
We both got out of our cars. At this point. I was completely shaken up and could not think clearly at all. I just remember telling her(it was a lady) "My back really hurts.".
The lady kept saying "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry". Followed by "I was running late and was rushing. I should have slowed down. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry". Over and over again.

I looked at her with sympathy and my eyes were trying to tell her "It's ok. Jesus loves you". But my brain wasn't working. And all I could get out was "It's ok. It's ok". I'm sad I didn't tell her "Jesus loves you."

We exchanged info and I drove straight home, to carefully observe my boys for any signs of injury.
Finn was excited and started texting family and friends from his ipod, "We were in an accident!

Of course I had no idea he was doing this and started fielding frantic calls from friends and family.

I called John and was like "Come home! Now! I need to get scanned!" And he was like "I have a whole class here looking at me". I remember saying "I don't really care about your class!"(Whoops, not nice).
I called my sister, who used to work in insurance.
I called Dr. Willis who prescribed aconite for shock and arnica for swelling. She said "Hundreds of people are rear-ended every day. From the speeds you were going, you guys will be ok. Try to get your day back to normal or you will make things worse". I made an appointment to get adjusted, and hung up, feeling somewhat better.
I called the rest of my immediate family.
And then got my day back to normal.

While homeschooling Ollie, I heard a "tap tap" at the door. And whatdoyouknow. Miss Lorieloo was at the door with bright chipper sunflowers for me. I almost cried. That sweet gesture of bringing me flowers helped brighten my day and ease my pain more than medicine ever could. Thanks so much Lorie. Incredibly thoughtful of you. It wouldn't have occurred to me to bring flowers to someone who was just rear-ended.

As they day wore on, the pain in my back came and went. Sometimes it was barely noticeable...other times it felt tight, sore and heavy...for lack of a better description.
That evening I tried some light exercises, thinking it would help loosen things up.
It did NOT help.
When I lay down to sleep that night, my back just felt so bad. In bible study and church we have been learning about suffering. And how to rejoice in suffering. And how we should  run to God in our pain, not from Him. I know this back suffering pales in comparison to what some are going through. But it has been teaching me some things.

Like in precepts we are learning "we should not be surprised by trials, as though something strange was happening to us." I Peter 4:12

In actuality, I was NOT surprised by getting rear-ended this morning. In fact, I had strangely been anticipating it.

And when the pain in my back intensified that night, I was tempted to start worrying about how I would get through the next day. But I was reminded that I should embrace this suffering. I remembered my pastor saying it was all about perspective. When we view suffering correctly, it makes all the difference in the world.

We need to view it as a necessary part of life to grow us more like Jesus and give glory to God.

And when we are tested and tempted to question God's goodness we need to pray, "Lord, I know you are good but I don't feel it. Give me eyes to believe. Increase my faith."

For whatever reason, this shift in thinking helped snap me out of my anxiety. Instead of worrying about the pain that will come tomorrow, I just embraced the suffering and tried to take joy in my little trial.
>>>><<<<
On a lighter note, let's talk about Halloween costumes!

My 4 boys are going to be hobbits and I could not be more excited! I initially bought a store-bought Hobbit costume but even John thought it was too chintzy for the price. So I went to the Salvation army and Goodwill and scoured out some more authentic looking Hobbit clothes:
vests
white dress shirts
knickers
and I'm making them cloaks from fabric I bought at Joann's.
Of course hairy feet are a must.

While perusing the Goodwill, I came across this fabulously hideous "Arwen" costume for $9.99.  I mean, how could I NOT buy it???!!!

My sister Jessica said the pants were practical for climbing trees. Ya know. When battling orcs and such.

I bought the costume, determined to change the pants into a skirt. Somehow.

John said I had to take a picture of the jumpsuit(I think he likes it) before altering it, so here I am!

I had Finn snap a few pics in the front yard because it was too dark in the backyard. Pretty much all our  neighbor friends ended up seeing me, adults included. Because I'm awkward like that.


Here is a neighbor dad coming to collect his son, Paul. And here I am.. in my jumpsuit.

Paul then ran inside his house and said "Mommy, mommy! Miss Davi is outside in a beautiful Arwen gown! You have to come see her!" So his mother came out to see me as well. Baha.

I looked quite the spectacle. But that's ok. The children were all delighted. I do what I can to bring neighborhood cheer(wink). Besides. I was just rear-ended, so I figured I was given a free pass that day.