I remember it so clearly...

I left school around 4:15, in a fairly steady downpour.

As I turned left onto East University, I called Mark to tell him I was headed to Wal Mart and I asked if he needed anything.  I told him I'd be home by 6:00.

As I made my way around East University (a busy 4-lane "bypass" of sorts around Auburn), I looked ahead and noticed that the car in front of me had stopped in preparation to turn left across two lanes of oncoming traffic.  I slowed.

Then I saw her.

The college aged girl who was so busy talking on her cell phone that she didn't notice that both my car, and the car in front me me had stopped.

I had just enough time to brace myself  for what I knew was inevitable, and she pushed her brakes seconds before she slammed into the back of my SUV.  What I didn't mentally prepare for were the two impacts - one as she ran into my rear panel and the other from my car slamming the stationary car in front of me.

Cars all around us slowed and stopped - people getting out of their cars in the pouring rain to make sure we were all ok.  I was calmer than I expected in that situation, more angry than emotional. I immediately called Mark and in my adrenaline rushed state I used the nearest landmark to describe my location...though my actual location was about 200 yards from that landmark. 

The driver of the car in front of me got out and walked back to check on me, I got out and we both walked back to the car who caused this mess.  One thing I remember so vividly is the look on their faces when they saw me.

I was almost 6 months pregnant.

We somehow got my car off the road and completed all the necessary paperwork with the policeman. He asked me if I knew that I had blood rolling down my leg - I didn't.  I still have a scar today from where the key in my ignition jammed in my leg on one of the impacts.

Mark arrived at this point and I remember the emotions growing by the second after he arrived.  I tried to explain what happened, and I just got more and more upset as I recounted the experience.  I was terrified that something had happened to Turner - I had already miscarried two babies in that previous year and I was literally shaking with fear at the possibility of losing yet another baby.

We had a great friend who works at our local hospital meet us in the ER, and I was checked out thoroughly and afforded the opportunity to hear the Turner's heartbeat.  Loud and strong.  They asked me if the airbag deployed and I explained that it hadn't - if it had, it could have significantly changed the outcome of this story.

I went home and tried to rest and rehabilitate a minor back issue resulting from the whiplash of the two impacts.  But, all things considered we were grateful that was all I had wrong with me.  I remember watching the Mississippi State vs. LSU game on ESPN that night....and then it hit me.

Mark was supposed to be there.

It was a big opponent on a major stage - the Thursday night, ESPN, first college football game of the season.  In Starkville.  And Mark had planned all summer to be there...he had planned all week to be there.

At the last minute, he changed his mind.  We don't even really remember why.  God does.

Three years ago tonight.

I always think about this when I see the ESPN coverage of the first college football game of the season. I happened to remember this on the way home this afternoon, and then again as I caught myself taking a frustrated tone with Turner for a completely ridiculous reason this afternoon. 

Remembering helps me keep it all in perspective.

My life could be so different.

God is so faithful.