Temporary

What a great day Leslie and I had today!  It was her birthday so - as any truly sensitive husband would do - I took her to the Muscle Car Museum in Tallahassee!  Actually, it was her idea.  We always have a great time there, and it's even better now that they've built a new 100,000 square foot facility at I-10 and Hwy 90.  

A great drive, a great time at the museum and lunch at great restaurant, what could be better.  Blessings abounded as I spoke with the kids throughout the day to hear of their completion of birthday shopping, present wrapping, cake baking (another Blog), and family meal preparation.  It was a beautiful day that gave us time alone to talk and enjoy each others company as we made the two and half hour drive each way from Enterprise to Tallahassee and back.  

I was on the phone with Caitlin when I saw the cloud of dust boil up from the median a quarter mile ahead.  A darkly painted car exploded from the dust cloud like it was shot out of a cannon and crossed Westbound I-10 at a ninety degree angle to the rushing Interstate traffic.  A quick OMG and hurried goodbye to Caitlin, we saw the speeding car just ahead fly straight across our lane at a very high rate of speed.  Within a few seconds Leslie and I had slowed to the shoulder, and looking to our right saw the car wheels up, in the swamp.  

I yelled to Leslie, "Call star-fhp!", and I bolted from our car and ran to the upside-down, half-submerged vehicle.  We were the first on the scene, and as I ran into thigh-deep water, I was terrified at what I might find.  I'll admit, I truly wished it wasn't me there at that moment.  I saw a white pickup driving backwards toward our car.  A man jumped out of the truck and ran toward the car with me.  He began yelling for signs of life from the vehicle and I joined in the chorus.  We both made it to the door at the same time.  I must admit, the whole scene was so surreal, and I am so unfamiliar with situations like that, I couldn't even grasp what I was looking at - and had no idea what should be done next.  The man instinctively reached under the water and grabbed for the door handle.  Immediately I grabbed the bottom of the door and together we pulled it open through the muck.  

The light of day poured into the murky opening.  The car was nearly filled with muddy water.  A very frightened and confused woman in her 50's looked up at us.  It was clear she had no idea where she was - but somehow in the drowning blackness that engulfed her, she had managed to unfasten her seat-belt and turn right side up in the car, keeping her head out of the water. We asked her quickly and loudly if there were any others in the car with her.  She said "No, just me and my dogs!" Gratefully, other than her obvious shock, she appeared to have no significant injuries.  Her only passengers - two very fat, very wet and very frightened terriers.  

Several others had joined us in the swamp by then.  We helped her and her two dogs to the safety of the grassy slope she had only a minute before flipped over.  Highway patrol, rescue squad and ultimately ambulance personnel showed up and the dramatic portion of the event was over for us.  

I don't have anything clever to say here.  No shrewd observations or witty illustrations.  I am just so very grateful for God's protection for her and for us.  If we had not lingered, at any given point during the day, and had been less than 30 seconds ahead of where we were, things could have been so different.  Once again, I am humbled at how truly fragile the human condition is, and how temporary life is for all of us.  All things considered, it was a tremendous day.  For Leslie, me, the kids, the woman in the car, and her two very fat, very wet and very frightened terriers.