October was an interesting mix of activities and happenings. It started out with me getting a call from the middle school while subbing at the high school that Nicholas was throwing up and not feeling well at all. I immediately called Steve and he turned around and came back home while I took my free period to go get Nick and take him home. He really didn't look good by the time I got over there. Steve worked from home that day while Nick slept. It was only a 24 hour stomach bug, thank goodness. Nick was up and at 'em the next day.
October 3rd, Joaquin was a hurricane sitting off the East coast trying to decide if/where it was going to make landfall. As a result, our weather was very windy and very rainy. Soccer was cancelled for the day, due to the field being flooded. General Conference was amazing, as always.
October 4th, during conference, President Monson had a hard time with the second half of his last talk. It was hard to watch. I wanted to run into the television and help hold him up. I love that man!!! Every General Conference I think it cannot get any better and it always does.
It had rained all night long and there was a bunch of flooding, especially in South Carolina. The rivers and lakes, which had been dangerously low only a few weeks earlier, were all back up to normal level (2 feet).
Our dishwasher finally died, but not before leaking all over the floor and damaging the baseboards.
October was a month for rain. On 10/10 soccer was rained out again. Naomi was really bummed about that. Steve and I took the extra time to get ready for the annual Muller Murder Mystery Party. The theme this year was an old folk's home. Steve and I were both supposed to be old people. He was Evan O'Connell who was originally from Ireland and was a hopeless flirt with the ladies. I was Ethel Dooley, "a sweet old lady, with soft white curly hair and a love of pink dresses." I also had a problem with Alzheimers. It was a fun character to play. All I had to do all night long was walk around and randomly repeat phrases I had heard in the old folks home that placed suspicion on all the other residents. Sara writes the murder mysteries herself and really has a great time getting into the theme. It is always a good time.
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| Before. |
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| After. |
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| The Renshaws |
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| The Millers and Smiths. |
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| Us and the Tufts. |
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| Dolores, the birthday girl, was also the murder victim. Somebody smothered her to death in her sleep, but who!!?? |
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| The gang trying to figure out who done it. |
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| David Miller, Phillip Tufts and John Shamanis |
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| The Lees and Fernanda |
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| Steve and the Jensens |
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| Everyone at the party voted for their favorite characters. Steve and I won the coolest trophies ever!! Sara had to laugh because we made the trophies for the party. |
Earlier in the day on the 10th, Steve found out he had won tickets to the Bank of America 500 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. He found that ironic since we would not be able to use the tickets. Well, luck was on our side and the race got rained out and postponed until Sunday.
October 11th, I was released as the primary chorister and sustained as the second counselor in the Young Women's presidency. I got to spend one last week with the kids and it was a teary goodbye. After church, Steve and Nick went to the race. They had an amazing time. Nick is even more in love with cars now, if that is even possible.
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| At the race. On turn 5 about five rows up. |
October 13th Roger Buttars came to dinner. Roger and I have been trying to get together for years now. Our visits to Utah have not been on the same schedule. As luck would have it, he was speaking in Charlotte and came by for dinner while he was in town. The kids had a great time meeting one of my childhood and life-long friends. They also really enjoyed riding on his motorcycle.
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| Roger and I have birthdays only days apart. We started kindergarten together and graduated from high school together. |
October 16th, Jeremy had his wisdom teeth pulled. We got Naomi on the bus for school and then took Jeremy straight to the surgeons office. Nick wanted to be there to see Jeremy when he first woke up. Jeremy thought he sounded completely normal and was talking intelligently. Nick and I could not stop laughing because Jeremy was still so drugged up. At one point he looked at me and said, "I can't feel my face." Nick continued singing the lyrics of a popular song "..when I'm with you." The two then sang the song together and started dancing in the truck. If that wasn't funny enough, Jeremy stopped and got a serious look on his face when he said, "That song is about the dentist. Confirmed!!"
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| The pain medication is starting to wear off and this is not so much fun anymore. |
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| Sister Machin lost her shoes in the mud. |
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| Sara and Kellie before. |
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| Me and Aubrey. The wagon ride was rough on us. She got bumped off the wagon when it took a turn and I bailed off so she wouldn't be alone. It was definitely an adventure. |
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| Kaylie, Abby, Journey, Mary, Ravyn, Caitlyn and Aubrey. |
October 17th was a nail-biter soccer game. Our team was down 5-0 after the first half. We didn't have any substitutes so the girls had to play the entire time. Coach Russ gave the girls a good pep talk during half time and we came back to win the game 6-5. The girls were so excited. They really played well and had a great time.
October 18th Jeremy woke up very sore from the surgery. We decided to take two cars to church so that one of us could leave and come home if Jeremy needed us. I was driving down Rocky River Road when a car two in front of me decided to make a quick left turn. I stopped but the car behind me did not. She tried to park her car underneath the truck. Witnesses say she didn't even touch her brakes. I saw her coming, put both feet on the brake and threw my arm across Naomi while waiting for impact. Considering I was stopped and she was going about 45 MPH, the impact was minimal. I have had more trauma on a roller coaster. The truck absorbed most of the impact. Naomi was rattled, but not hurt. When I tried to pull the truck off of the road to get out of traffic, it would not go anywhere. That is when I saw the smoke inside the car behind me. I told Naomi to get out of the truck and go stand in the field while I checked on the other driver. I was worried because she had hit near the gas tank. The smoke ended up being the dust from her air bags. I called 911 and was answering the operators questions and trying to get the other driver to tell me if she was okay. She was only speaking Spanish. I finally got her to calm down a little bit and speak a little English. She kept asking what had happened and wouldn't tell me if she was hurt. The 911 operator needed to know if we needed an ambulance and I couldn't get an answer out of the other driver. I was patient until the fifth or sixth time she asked "What happened?" I told her, more curtly than I should have, "I stopped and you did not!! Are you hurt??!!!?" With the help of one of the witnesses (from church - this is the main way we all drive to the church) we got her calmed down enough to tell the operator we didn't need an ambulance. Another church member who spoke Spanish came and talked with her until the police officer arrived. Yet another church member offered to drive Naomi to church so she could calm down a little bit. The officer said it was okay for her to leave. Steve had driven up not too long after the accident happened so he was there to remember to take pictures of everything. The cop came and looked around the truck while asking me questions. "There are no skid marks." I had stopped quickly, but not that quickly. That is when the witness told the officer that the other driver had not even touched her brakes. There were no skid marks from either vehicle. The tow truck operator said the same thing while shaking his head and making sure I was all right. He said we were lucky to not be hurt. They had to lift the truck up to get her car out from underneath it. Since the truck was still driveable, they let me go. Steve said that was a good sign. I certainly hoped so. I arrived at church just as sacrament meeting was ending. After church I was set apart and we hurried home to check on Jeremy. He was hurting, but okay. I spent the rest of the afternoon trading calls with my insurance company. They told me they would help me through everything and that made me feel a little better.
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| Not a good place to park your car. |
I had to sub on Monday, and was grateful for the distraction. I love spending time with the 8th graders.
Tuesday, 10/20 I got a call from my insurance company and they told me to contact State Farm (the other driver's insurance) to ask where they would like me to take it for an estimate. From what I could see the damage was fixable. I am glad I was sitting down when Landon told me what would need to be done. Basically she had bent the frame of the truck. The cab was bent where the bed hit it on impact. The bed had a tear in it where the hitch came up from underneath and started to puncture it. Long story short, the truck was totaled. On the way home I started to cry. I was sad that the truck was totaled and grateful that it had kept Naomi and I safe during the accident.
Wednesday, 10/21, my insurance company called and said that the other driver's insurance was claiming full liability for the accident. The accident report showed all the responsibility for the accident as being hers. I was grateful once again for my amazing truck. State Farm claimed liability, but getting them to actually do what they should be doing is a whole new story!!!! You will see what I mean soon.
Thursday, 10/22 Naomi found out she had made it into the Highland Creek Harmonizers, the elementary school choir. She was beside herself excited. Way to go, Naomi.
We spent most of the day on Saturday (10/24) looking for a new truck. I was so discouraged by the end of the day. I am grateful it was Stake Conference and I got to hear some good news that night. I love that the Church is always there to help me through my hardest times.
Sunday we got a new Stake Presidency. Normally that would not be such a huge deal, but it made us realize that we have been in Charlotte long enough to be on our third stake presidency. We have been here for 13 years. Wow!
Back at home we helped Jeremy finish up his Lit and Film stop motion project. His vision and talent never ceases to amaze me. Here is the link to see the finished product. https://youtu.be/JWW1Ta_Fl2E (you may have to cut and paste the link, but it is well worth it). His video received the highest grade in the class and was chosen to be showcased at the "Art Crawl" in November. Way to go, Jeremy!
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| Nick and Matt taking time to relax in their hammocks. I love the South. |
Still haven't heard from State Farm!!!! Even after leaving several messages. To be continued....
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