Car Accident

One cold, rainy, early Friday morning, I was driving to work thinking about how glad I was that it was Friday and almost time for the weekend. It takes me about 20 minutes to drive to my school. It is a very calm, easy drive... no major highways, etc. There is one part of my drive that has some heavy traffic, but it only lasts until about 7:30 am. I arrive to work by 7:30 or 7:45 every morning. On my even earlier days, I have to pass through that bit of traffic area where a high school is located. There are lots of cars trying to make a left turn into the high school which causes some heavy traffic. Anyways... this cold, rainy, early Friday morning that I am speaking of was today. I was heading to work. I had just talked to my mom on the phone, hung up the phone, then called Jared to make sure he was having a good morning at work. (He had already been at work since 3 am) I was stopped on the road in the midst of the heavy traffic when all of a sudden.... BOOM. I was hit from behind. I was hit so hard that my car hit the car in front of my (which I was stopped a good distance behind). I was on the phone with Jared when I felt the boom and I immediately screamed/squealed and cried that someone had hit me... then I hung up the phone to call 911. While on the phone I explained to the dispatcher that I was hit from behind really hard and that I was in the middle of her and this Mustang in front of me. I stayed in the car and I could see the girl who hit me get out of her car and look around. I could also see the guy in front of me get out of his car and look around. I could not see any damage on the Mustang, but like I said, I stayed in my car at this point so I did not know what the damage was to any of the vehicles, including mine. :(

The dispatcher told me an officer would be coming. In the meantime, I called Jared, my mom, my friend Kristen (kindergarten teacher from work), and another one of the second grade teachers.... I tried to call work to tell them I would not be at school, but it was a recording and I did not want to leave a hysterical message on the school answering machine. Melissa and Kristen (friends from work) were on their way to help me.................

The girl from behind (driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee) came up to my car and apologized, asked me if I was okay, etc. and we exchanged insurance info. As I was writing down her info, we noticed the guy in front of me start driving away! I thought maybe he was pulling away more off the road, but no he fled the scene. Not sure why??? Anyways....

Melissa arrived (before the police) and she used my camera to take some pictures. Then the officer came and Melissa was there when I told him what had happened and gave him my insurance, registration, license, etc. I was glad she was there. Then, my good friend Kristen came too. She helped me so much!!!

Now I felt okay, but I was VERY shaken up, and very scared. Not only have I never been in a car accident, but I was concerned because there was a possibility I could be pregnant. This is a whooooooooole other blog for another time... but I will explain briefly.

Jared and I have been trying to conceive for about a year. After a few months of no luck and other issues related, I went to the doctor and they did some tests. To make a long story short, I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polysystic Ovarian Syndrome) which many times makes it difficult for women to get pregnant. Some women with PCOS ovulate irregularly and some don't ovulate on their own at all. I have been seeing an infertility doctor for several months now. First, she had me on a medication to help make me ovulate more naturally. I tried that for six months with no luck. Last month, I took another medicated that makes you ovulate... it is successful for many women- just doesn't always work right away. I was very happy to hear a couple weeks ago that it worked for me. I had a day 21 progesterone level test which showed a strong ovulatory number. This means that there was a possibility I could be pregnant since I actually had ovulated this month....

When I was hit, I was jerked forwards.... My airbags did not come out since I was hit from behind, and yes, I was wearing my seatbelt, but my leg hit the steering wheel kinda hard. I knew I was probably okay, but since there was this possibility I could maybe possibly be pregnant, I was checked out at the hospital. Which meant I had to ride in an ambulance. SCARY!

My car was towed away, along with the girls Jeep. The girl who hit me was completely at fault. She was 17 and will have to go to court. I have to go to court, too, to testify she hit me. I got a subpoena for Nov. 6th.

I am lucky to have such nice friends and family. My mom drove up right away from Richmond and sat with Jared and I in the waiting room for hours at the hospital. Thanks, mom! :) I did have a blood pregnancy test done; and, unfortunately, I am not pregnant this month. Which honestly with the accident I am kinda glad because it was so scary and stressful and I would have been devastated if I was pregnant and something would have happened. Maybe next month............

There are probably many more details I left out about this morning's accident, but that is the jest of it.

Did I mention that I was hit so hard that it made the entire glass rear window shatter?!?!?!?


so scary




There's one view where you can see some of the damage to my *favorite* car




This is the Jeep that hit me... there was glass everywhere.




That's the officer assessing the damage... the part of my car where the gas tank is located is f'ed up. (pardon my language!!! I am so mad my *new* car is in this shape.)




rear bumper... very hard to see all the damage in these pictures




You can't tell in this picture, but the front had some things hanging under it... and the license plate is really bent.



So that was my morning and afternoon. This is just the beginning, though. We have already had to spend lots of time and energy on the phone between car insuarnce companies, medical insurance companies, towing place, Collision repair place, rental car place, etc. This sucks. I don't know yet what the estimate is and what the exact damage is. Currently, my car is at the tow place and probably won't even get to the Toyota Collision place until Monday. I have a rental car.

I went to school this afternoon and wow! everyone was so nice and worried/concerned about me. I feel so lucky to have such nice friends/family/coworkers in my life. It was awesome to not go to school and know that my kids would be fine and know that my lesson plans for a sub would be taken care of because I work with such an awesome second grade team.

I'm sure I will post updates on this car situation.... as well as the other.... when it is time! :) Thanks for your concern and prayers.


xoxoxo

Rock Band 2008

me and Stacy


Stacy playing with Millie and Fred


This weekend Norm bought himself an early Christmas present... Have you ever played Rock Band? It is so much fun!!! Norm, Stacy, Jared and I jammed out all day! haha

Mom took a few video clips so we could see how we sounded.... not very good! (but these videos were taken when we first started) By the end of the day, we were much better! :)

hahaha

long time no blog....

I know... long time no blog...

I have had no life outside of work for the past three weeks. Last night was "Back to School" night and I did not leave school until after 9 pm. I had a meeting this morning at 7:45 to learn some programs on the computer for one of my students who communicates writing on a computer. There is so much cool stuff out there for him... There are really amazing resources to use to communicate his wants/needs. He uses a laptop that has "cowriter" on it.... if he wants to write a sentence starting with t, he can type "t" and all these common words that begin with t pop up and he can choose which one he wants. It also pops up a picture to illustrate the sentence he types. It is so cool! There are other technological things he will use too, but I have not learned all of them yet! :)

I have a very "active" class... lots of attention/ listening/ following directions/ behavior challenges. Never a dull moment- that's for sure. I already have had to call parents, write many notes home, and come up with a few personal behavior charts.

I do have some sweet kids, though. I always say I am going to start a journal... I want to write down all the funny things that happen at school and publish it! haha

At the end of the year last year we had "Career Day." A park ranger came and was telling my class about things they do to to keep National/ State parks safe, etc. He also talked about alkasizers or something like that??? but they are like breathalizers) spelling? and he told the kids about how they see if people have been drinking bad drinks ? One of my kids responded with "Can you alkasize me?"

Also, one of my kids last year did not want to give up his recess time outside to come in to use the bathroom.... well.... he had to go.... and (I did not know he needed to go!) and all the sudden a crowd came running to me saying someone was peeing in the woods!" I had to call his mom and she said that he goes in the woods at home!!

Today one of my kids came up to me and out of nowhere said, "I am so glad your husband works at Target. My mom says Target it so much better that Walmart. She does not like to shop at Walmart anymore."

I am going to make a tattle box...... I hear SOOOOOOOOOOO many tattles. Second graders tell tattle tales like it's their job. Aside from the tattles and craziness, I love my job. It is so rewarding to be a teacher. I would not trade my job for anything!!!! (Unless it was a stay at home mom job!!)

I'll try to be better about updating this blog. I just have seriously had no time at all. Hopefully things at work will calm down now that we are on a real routine and 3 weeks into the school year. Tomorrow is the anniversary of 9-11. :( it is also one of my kids' birthdays. He was born on 9-11-01. crazy....

goodnight xoxoxo

Labor Day = day off!

Thank goodness today was Labor Day and a day off. I am so tired!!! It is hard to go back to work after having the summer off. I've been putting in very long hours.... getting to school by 7:30 and staying until about 6 (or later!!!) then coming home and even doing more work for school!!! It is crazy! Hopefully it will calm down once things settle.... I don't know though! I have a sweet, but very wild class! I have 22 kids-- but was told I am getting another new one tomorrow.

This weekend Jared was off and we were able to relax and watch some movies together! I love watching movies. :) Then yesterday, my sister and brother came to stay the night with us because they were headed to DC for the Nationals/Phillies baseball game. We played games and went to El Charro (Mexican Restaurant) together.

I can't believe it is already September!! That means it is getting closer to my birthday (October 12!!) There is still 6 weeks until I turn 24, but I always start counting down for birthdays! :)