RIP Dondo Bus!

Is it totally weird that I feel sad about losing the "Dondo Bus" to the car part heaven? I mean it's just a car, right? And unfortunately I played a major role in the "bus" ending up there. Yep! I wrecked it! Yep! It's embarassing! Yep! I'll bore you with all the gory details.

So doing about 40mph approaching an intersection with stoplights, dumb girl in front of me decides to slam on her brakes and skids to a screeching stop for a light that barely turned yellow. I assumed she was going to run it because who slams on the brakes just to stop for a yellow, when you're practically through the intersection anyway? So in order to avoid hitting her I swerved to the right end up on the grass and straight into a rod iron fence that runs along the grassy area surrounding the local library. Took out about an 8-10 foot section of the fence. And well, the Expedition is a goner! Sadness!

Yes, I felt dumb.
 And no I wasn't hurt.
 And luckily the kids were home with Alex, so it was just me.

The nicest couple in their own Expedition stopped to make sure I was OK. And the girl who stopped for the yellow pulled over too and was all apologetic saying, "I should've just run the light." Uhhhh, yeah you should've but I can't really blame her for being extra cautious. I will blame her for being dumb though. And I'll blame myself for anticipating what someone else might do.

So...I'm totally bummed I liked my Expedition, never had any problems with it (other than me wrecking it last year and a mouse chewing through some of the wiring two years ago.). It got us and all our junk where we needed to go when we needed to get there (well, usually about 10 minutes late but that wasn't the Expedition's fault).

So insurance is saying it's a total loss and I'm sad about that. And being in an accident is such an inconvenience and totally frustrating, what with rental cars and paperwork and statements and a ticket (yes, I got a ticket) finding a new/used car to buy etc. etc.!

However there are a few things I'm very blessed by:
1. I very nearly slammed into the huge pole that holds the stoplights up. And actually ran over the screws that hold the pole into the ground. Blew out both driver's side tires and totally killed the side view mirror.

2. I narrowly missed the brick wall to my right. So I guess if I was going to have to wreck the rod iron fence was the thing to hit.

3. And I didn't hit dumb girl at all. After my last crash experience that is a huge blessing! She could've been hurt or I could've been hurt. And for sure her car would've been very damaged maybe even totaled.

And to be completely honest and don't tell my insurance co. this, I closed my eyes as I approached the pole, I really thought I was going to hit it and didn't want to watch it happen. I am 1000% sure that my guardian angels took over and guided the car where it was the best place to hit. One of the library employees mentioned that as well, she said "You know it's like the Carrie Underwood song 'Jesus take the Wheel' (we are in the Bible belt after all), you are one lucky girl to not have hit the pole or the wall. Jesus took that wheel for you, honey!" I humbly agreed.

All the library people were so nice, once they knew I was OK. Telling me things like,  "Don't worry about it happens all the time." And, "We've been wanting to plant some new plants in that spot anyway." And, "We're just glad you missed that tree we just planted." What a bunch of comedians.

Anyway I know it's just a car, just a big hunk of machinery and we can get a new one. But still, I'm really sad to lose the Dondo bus, it was kinda like a part of the family...I even had visions of Ethan driving it when he turned 16. I'm sure he would've loved that!

And I have to mention how sweet and supportive my little Ethan is, he said; "Mommy? You crashed the car?" I said "Yep, I sure did." He said, "It's OK we'll get it fixed or we'll get a new one." Ain't he sweet, making his Mama feel better, after crashing the car.

 So It doesn't seem too terrible in the pictures but I guess it was a lot worse than it looks.

The tow truck guy had to use the spare on the back tire so he COULD tow it, the back tire looked like the front. Huge chunks of tire were just gone (from running over those screws or jumping the curb I guess)! And the bumper was totally dragging on the ground as he pulled it out of the fence. And there were plants and dirt in the wheel wells and inside the bumper, which sort of made me laugh.

RIP, Dondo Bus! Sorry you had to go out like that!