Last night around 9 o'clock, Josh had just got home from work and was cuddling with Noah while I was making dinner. As I was removing the roast from the crock pot, we heard a loud noise followed by a crash that shook our whole house. I knew immediately what had happened - a car had hit our home.
We live on a corner and on a hill. On the side our house is one of the main streets to our neighborhood and off that street are houses at the top of a hill. Our neighbor's driveway points directly towards our kitchen. They were having a party last night and one of their guests left his truck running. Somehow the truck came out of park, rolled backwards down their driveway, across the main street, through our yard, and into the side of our house. I was inside the house just to left of where the truck hit.
The flashing lights of the fire trucks and police cars brought out all of the neighbors. Who is that little redheaded boy? He flitted around the scene taking pictures of his own for a while a then disappeared into the night. As it turns out, a car-hits-house accident is not the best way to meet your neighbors - we still haven't got a word out of the guy across the street. But we did get a smile which is more than 11 months of waving has accomplished. And then a mysterious man with an eye patch showed up to watch the show, we don't know who he is either.The truck demolished our brand new air conditioning unit and put a giant dent in the cinder block.
There was no alcohol or illegal substances involved, just a questionable ability to operate a vehicle. Of course, the truck was uninsured and because no one was in it at the time it can't even be classified as a moving violation - just a random accident.
The stairs down to our basement were right where the truck hit. I say "were" because now all the supports are broken and the stairs themselves have come off the wall about eight inches.
Here is the large gash in our yard where the truck hit before encountering the side of our house.
The inside of my basement.
Its never good to see the light of day through what is supposed to be a solid wall.
Last night all I could think about (besides wondering why me) was all the what ifs: What if the truck had been going a little faster, what if the grass hadn't absorbed some of the force, what if it had hit the brick instead of the rock solid cinder block, what if I had been on the stairs instead of in the kitchen, what if it had come through our house, what if Josh hadn't been home, what if what if what if....?
This morning after the dust has settled and all the shock is gone, I am thankful. Thankful that I have a God who didn't let any of those 'what ifs' happen, thankful that we are all safe and unhurt, thankful that my husband can be kind and gracious in moments of high stress when I want to do physical harm, thankful for police and firemen that respond so quickly and are so kind, thankful for family that comes at a moments notice with little information, thankful for the same family who lets us stay in their home instead of letting us boil in a house with no ac in the hottest month of the year. But I am still learning to be thankful for days like this, for the bad things that happen - it might take my whole life to learn that. God has a plan and I know He is sovereign, but don't ask me what He means by orchestrating the events of my life - I'm just along for the ride.
So I have no idea what tomorrow brings, or even what today brings for that matter. I have no idea what kind of invisible damage has been done to my house or when it will be fixed. All I have to rely on is my Sanctuary, my husband, my darling little boy, and my wonderful family and friends. It seems like I have a lot, after all.
The Momma
Dispossessed but not Disbelieving
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