A Better Woman

The other night Dale and I were trying our hand at praying. It was Dale's turn and he always gives a really great rendition. This time was especially good. I cried and cried and cried.... but not from sorrow.

My favorite: Dale, dead serious as can be, "I am grateful Monique makes me a better woman."

You are very welcome Dale.

Farewell Chameleon

Here's a tale that needs telling. This is about four months post-experience but here it is none the less.

It's no lie I have had a bit of bad luck when it comes to vehicles and myself. This lovely event occurred the second to last day of school. The prime way to start a summer. I had been going to a pharmacy to build up intern hours for school. The place I went was a bit sketchy. There was more than one time I came out of the pharmacy to find people slammed up against cop cars. I was already a bit on edge about my whereabouts.

Now randomly on this day it rains; and let me tell you there is nothing to put desert folk into a tailspin like a bit of water. This rain wasn't typical rain- it came, it poured hardcore like, and it disappeared.

I was driving along, most excited about my new found freedom when it happened. There are two turning lanes to get onto the southbound freeway and I choose the far right one. The arrow turns green so I go to go and my car is a little slow off the mark. I start to turn and I see something at my right. It's coming fast and it's in the form of a big blue truck. Next thing I know I've been hit and all I can think about doing is trying to get off of the road. The little chameleon (my car) wasn't handling it. It was unable to move.

White dust everywhere, hurt shoulder, neck pain, weird knee and other bruises, random people in my grill- I was in an internal tussle. Then the technicalities of such an event......

Life story thus far in Las Vegas= Part I: bike vs. car; part II: car vs. car. The only other epic battles I need to take on are scooter vs. car and pedestrian vs. car. My kids will be proud. Even more proud to know I lost all battles.

There's the story- now here's the hindsight. Once again I had heavenly help. I don't believe my car "accidentally" sputtered right before that green light. If it wouldn't have sputtered the truck would have t-boned me instead of hitting the front part of the passenger side. The truck hit my car so hard and shifted the front so I couldn't open my door. Bad things happen but worse things could. There is always someone taking care of us; end of story.

An Unlikely Meeting

Here is a story from the random days of my life.

Everyday (in an attempt to save some cash flow) I have been riding Dales' bike to school. This trek is not so far- half a mile if your being generous. I make it daily- in the AM and in the PM. Nothing more exhilarating then saving $0.20 max.

This particular day there was a different fill in the air. (It could have been that it was a test day...... or something else). I was making my usual trek. At my usual pace. When I get to the all to familiar stoplight before my apartment. I check to make sure the signal says I have the go ahead- I see that lovely little white lightened man and I make a go for it. This day I was not so lucky.

I feel something at my ride side- - and I look and I see a white truck. The thought occurs to me that I may be being hit by a truck. It all slowed down in my mind so I almost believed I wasn't going to be completely hit. I did get hit though and next thing I know I am on the pavement in a blur. All I can think about is my shoe is off and cars are coming. I finally gather myself together and I get off of the road.

Following this I dealt with the technicalities of an accident. The one thing I kept thinking was how grateful I was that I had been taken care of. I had been riding home a bit disappointed because I had not passed my test- but I think my Heavenly Father may have withheld a blessing in that instance so he could give me a greater blessing a little farther down the road.

After being thrown from my bike after being hit by a car I only suffered some hip pain and a few bruises and scrapes. I kept imagining what could have happened and I feel very grateful that it didn't. You see sometimes we have an idea in our heads of what we need or want but we don't know ourselves or our futures that well. Someone is ever watching over us with infinite wisdom. We need to gain a better perspective of what matters. I think I needed to be reminded of what is important in life.

If that wasn't enough that I was protected- when I retook my test I also miraculous improved. It is hard for me to see how people can doubt the hand of a higher being in our lives. From all of this I have learned there is a lot that can be learned from getting hit by a car.

A Strange Acquaintance

Here is a tale that needs to be told. I have met my share of interesting people, but I met a man the other day that really sparked my interest. Let me tell you the full blown story about his life as he related it back to me. (This is my version of his story because I can't remember his exact words.)

When I was young I was playing down by the frozen lake and the ice broke and I fell through. This is where a lot of my problems started. Things were never the same. After that I got sick a lot- there was a while after I fell through that they didn't think I would live.

Do you want to know something else interesting? One time I was struck by lightening. I was shooting snakes and I got struck by lightening. It caused my gun to backfire and it took a chunk from my hand. (After telling me this he showed me the location of his wound.)

I asked him why he was shooting snakes-

I used to hunt snakes. You see I could sell them. My father had gotten into a deal with his brother in law and the man ran off with all of his money. My dad got ill the year the bank called his loans. We couldn't afford to pay the mortgage. One day I was hunting snakes and I brought some into town and sold them to a man. This man asked me if I wanted to contract with him for snake hides. I agreed.

I would go down by the river and there was a bluff where all the snakes would come out during the day. A large bluff loaded full of snakes. I have been bitten by many different poisonous snakes, at least 8 snakes.

One time when I was bitten by a snake I was walking through the brush and I came over a log and this snake jumped up and caught a hold of my arm. It had a tight grip on it so I tried to beat it off against a tree. While I was beating it I dislocated my shoulder......

That was the tale I was told, paraphrased, may lack some of the vigor. I was one of the most intense life tales I have heard in a long time. I wanted all to know the life some people live.

Initiation

Well well well, guess who has joined the band wagon.... you guessed it. This is a shout out to all those people that tried to make me into a blogger- you win. By golly I decided I've got a story to tell and since distance is not playing in my favor now days I will use the internet. Here's to you blogger- -