just happy to be here.

Our week spent with Ben, Kristi, and the twins was a lot of fun. Savannah & I both agree that we are going to be awesome mothers because after taking care of two babies for a week... one baby is going to be a piece of cake! (we aren't even considering the fact we could have twins as well.... too stressful to think about). Anyways, the week was good and exhausting. We were ready to be on the road & get home to Utah since we both are leaving for the summer in just 2 1/2 weeks and had plenty of things to do.

We had hung out with Eric the night before we left & I ended up leaving my camera in the back of his truck and didn't realize it until the morning so I called him and he agreed to meet us in Phoenix on our way home so I could get it back. We said our sad goodbyes & were on the road but already off to a late start. We mentioned how meeting up with Eric to get my camera would put us behind schedule and get us home even later but we began talking about how there are those incidents where people will leave things at home and have to turn around and drive all the way back but what if they didn't and they would have gotten in an accident? Or how life is a chain of events and just one little change or decision can completely change the way the rest of your day goes, you just never know what could happen. Well after talking about this we decided we would stop & get lunch while we were there so we wouldn't have to stop later and for some reason it felt like we were meant to stop (completely ironic conversation just an hour before the accident happened).

So we stopped at "what-a-burger", I like going there when I'm in Arizona since we don't have it here in Utah. We then followed Eric so that he could put us on the right highway headed to Flagstaff. He exited the highway and we waved goodbye (not knowing we would be seeing him again shortly) and then just about ten minutes down the road we came to a sudden stop. While stopped, I was talking on the phone to my brother Devin when I looked up at my review mirror & saw the scariest thing I have ever seen. I saw a huge, white, semi tow-truck (yes, the kind of diesels that are big enough to tow other diesels) that was obviously out of control because the front part of it was facing my car, while the back of it was coming at us sideways. Right then I began screaming "it's gonna hit me! it's gonna hit me!" and right after Savannah turned around to see it and screamed, it did. I don't remember what went on exactly for the next.... 30 seconds or so. It all happened so fast.

All I know is we were in the far left lane and ended up in the lane to our right facing the median. When my car came to a stop I remember just being in shock, I didn't know what to even think. I looked over at Savannah and I remember seeing her yelling "my head! my head!" and I noticed my phone still in my hand (I must have braced for the impact & held my phone really tight in my hand) I started bawling and screaming to Devin on the phone trying to tell him what happened but all he said was "Lindsey I can't hear you! You are okay! Stop joking!" and then people opened our doors and assured us that everything would be okay and that an ambulance was on the way. My nose was bleeding so they got me tissues then took the phone from me and explained what happened to my confused brother. We were pretty hysterical, I remember freaking out about my eye and my car. The people at the scene kept telling me that my eye would be fine and my car was totaled but that didn't matter because I was just lucky to be alive. There was this nice couple who helped us... i'm not even sure to this day if they were involved in the 6 car pile up or not but I don't think Savannah and I would have been okay if it weren't for their kindness in comforting us until the ambulance arrived. When it did, they took us out of the car on stretchers and put us in separate ambulances and took us to separate hospitals. Can you believe it? I kept asking all the paramedics about where Savannah was and how she was and they just said they didn't know anything about who was in the car with me. How frustrating! Later on they figured out that she had been taken somewhere else but luckily Brady (Adam's best friend) and his wife were able to go to Savannah and Eric and his mom were able to be with me.

All I kept thinking over and over again was how I couldn't believe that had really happened. In arizona. Without our families there to be with us. Away from our homes. When I was leaving to Hawaii in a few weeks and Savannah was leaving to Italy. That my car was totaled. That I didn't know how I was going to get home. And I wasn't sure how bad our injuries were yet. But somehow I knew we were blessed. Because I was talking and thinking. I think I annoyed the paramedic to death on the way to the hospital with all my questions in the ambulance but he just said he was happy I was talking so much because he'd be worried if I wasn't.

After doing a CT scan and then an MRI, the doctor was happy to tell me that there were no fractures or brakes, just severe whip lash and that was why I couldn't lift my head. I was pleased to hear that because when he had asked me earlier to lift my head, nothing happened. I started crying thinking I was paralyzed but he said that is common with you know... getting hit by a diesel truck and that my neck muscles would eventually be able to lift my head again. My face was bruised & swelling but I was just happy to be as good as I was.I was released that night but didn't get much sleep. I couldn't get comfortable and my mind kept replaying the semi-truck coming at me in my review mirror.

The next day: I had been hit by a semi-truck and I FELT like I had been hit by a semi-truck. It wasn't a fun day because even though Savannah and I weren't feeling good we had to go to the car lot they took my car to and get our luggage. It was sad to see my car so damaged and lifeless. I couldn't believe I was going to have to forever leave it there in Arizona. Eric pried his way into the trunk in order to get our smashed luggage out & then I emptied my car and sat in the driver seat one last time. It was my graduation present almost exactly 2 years ago and I loved it. But it had taken the beating for me & saved our lives. Nobody at the crash scene could believe it had held up the impact so well.

We then headed to the airport. I wasn't excited for the flight but I was so excited to get home to see my family. Our seats were the very back row of the plane so we boarded the plane once everybody was already seated & it was amusing to watch all the heads turn to look at my bruised, swollen, and neck-braced-face. The flight went okay and then after the airport employees had us ride on one of those little airport cars to baggage claim since we couldn't carry our bags and that drew even more attention to my face as the guy honked his way through the crowds. haha ooh how I was hoping I didn't see anybody I knew.

After the 40 minute car ride it was HOME SWEET HOME. It was so good to see my family again. To hug them again knowing I could have been dead, or just a lot worse than I was. I was out the second my head hit the pillow that night.

It was one crazy ending to our little road trip to Arizona. I definitely didn't plan on getting hit by a diesel but then again, who does? All I know is we weren't lucky; we were blessed. Someone was watching over us and i'm so grateful to be alive. There is nothing like being in a serious accident to put your life into perspective, to realize how each day is a gift and not to be taken for granted. I love all my friends & family so much and I want to thank you all for your love and support. I couldn't get through this without each of you :)

Love, me.