beloved & extinct

Here are the pics. Like I said before, it's not NEARLY as bad as I thought. But it's still heart braking. I will say, yet AGAIN, how much I prefer the car be totaled then Trav be injured. So, I post these with gratitude to have a husband who didn't even suffer whiplash (miraculously).
















It could have been so much worse, especially considering the speed he was going. I am so grateful he had a special little Angel watching over him...I like to think so anyways.

Information

So we were able to go take a look at our car last week. We got a few pictures but I keep forgetting to bring my camera to upload 'em on the blog. I'll for sure do it within the next day or so.

I was shocked. I thought the car was going to be mangled but it's not - AT ALL. It's beat up, don't get me wrong, but it's nothing like what I imagined. I guess it's considered a "total loss" because the way our car hit the other car damaged our engine enough, it would cost less to buy a car then to fix it. It's bitter-sweet. We took AMAZING care of our car! :(

Anyway, like I said before, I'll post pictures tonight or tomorrow. Cross my heart.

I wanted to put in a good word for my school too. KEEP READING BEFORE YOU ROLL YOUR EYES AND BLOW IT OFF! ;)

UVU's Ballroom Dance Company will be on Dancing with the Stars this week (tomorrow night to be exact). They were selected by Dancing With the Stars to compete against other collegiate Ballroom Dance Companies. What I'm saying is this completely ROCKS! But they need people to vote for them - since they are competing. So if you can, turn on your television tomorrow night at 7pm on ABC. I guess tomorrow is the results show and tonight is the competition for the regular cast. But tomorrow is UVU's BIG NIGHT!

SO WATCH AND VOTE! I'M SOOOOOO EXCITED!

Ironic? You Tell Me...

So I posted some ugly pictures yesterday of an accident involving three individuals. Two were in a car and one was on a motorcycle (see below). Well, yesterday around 4:30 Trav was involved in a car accident on the highway (Interstate-15). Thankfully he is okay. Both he and I were shaken a bit - as there are many accidents on the freeway that end up...


Watch this. It's jaw dropping.


Trav had his seat belt on, thank goodness, because our airbags didn't deploy. On impact the seat belt locked and kept Trav from head-butting the steering wheel or possibly the windshield. What a blessing. However, since he was going approx 35 or 40 MPH on impact he did hit his head near the driver door window, close to where the seat belt goes into the side of the car (does that make sense?).

I'll post what I understand happened, but know I may have some corrections in my next post.

This situation involved THREE cars and ONE truck. Trav was headed south bound on I-15. He was three cars behind a truck. The truck tire blew and as far as I'm aware, the driver of the truck ended up stopping in the middle of the freeway. I don't know if it was too dangerous to drive far enough to exit on the blown tire or what. All I know is he stopped. The car behind the truck obviously had to stop as well. The car behind the truck and car (if this is making sense) swerved into the other lane, missed hitting the car (behind the truck) and went on his/her merry little way. That left Trav. All Trav remembers is seeing brake lights, slamming on his breaks and hitting the car. There was very little time to react. Trav said he was going between 60 - 65 MPH but because he slammed on the brakes he hit the car, he's guessing, around 35 - 40 MPH (as I stated above). Our car tried to fish-tail, but thankfully, Trav was in the INSIDE lane (aka "the fast lane"). So, as the car started to fish-tail it hit the median separating north bound traffic from south bound traffic. This prevented the car from going into other lanes of traffic.

Thankfully no one involved was hurt. Possibly some whiplash but no broken bones, no cuts, etc. What a miracle. This could have been so much worse. I get a little emotional thinking of how it could have been. I am so grateful Travis is okay. When he called me, he was in shock and sounded worried. After getting little information Trav had to go (the police were arriving on the scene) and I, of course, hung up and started bawling. I am so, so grateful he's okay.

While we may not have a car to our name for the next little bit, I am at peace. I would rather have Trav by my side, healthy, happy, and okay then have a car. Any day.

Travis was not on the phone when the accident happened. Can you imagine how bad it potentially COULD have been if he was?

PLEASE SILENCE YOUR PHONES WHEN YOU DRIVE. DON'T ANSWER CALLS, DON'T MAKE CALLS, DON'T TEXT. JUST DRIVE. FOCUS ON THE ROAD IN FRONT OF YOU.

I'll post pictures as soon as we're able to get to the towing company. I still haven't seen what our car looks like. We'll find out in the next 48 hours if it's considered our fault or not. We'll also find out if our car is "totaled" or not.

I love you Cutie. I am so grateful you're okay. I know I keep saying that, but that's because I really am so grateful. I don't care about the car. We'll be fine in that regard. I care about you.

PS Food for thought: Tires are the ONLY part of your car touching the road. I know this may be a "duh" statement, but REALLY THINK ABOUT IT. Tires are the only part of your car touching the ground. I know there are freak-like-situations where tires just blow out regardless of condition - but please do all you can to take care of your tires. If you lose one of 'em on the road, you may lose your entire car. Heaven forbid, maybe more then that.

(sigh) I am SO grateful...

Look & Listen - so I'm not talking AT you

I have a friend, Caroline, who has been advocating the importance of turning your phone to silence while driving. No texting. No calling/talking. Nothing. Just turning it to silence and leaving it in your purse/pocket until you get to your destination.

I have been thinking about this for a bit now. I am trying my best to break the habit of talking on the phone while driving. I try to NEVER text or read a text unless I'm at a red light, but even then it's distracting.

I thought I'd post some pictures to show why it's important that we ALL break this habit. Believe me. I'm busy too. Very busy. It's wonderful getting multiple things taken care of at the same time - but to what end? How much does it have to "cost" until enough is enough? How many horrific pictures do we have to look at, traumatic stories heard, before we decide "ENOUGH - No more"?

I am posting these pictures because I am determined to turn my phone to silence when I drive from now on. I'm hoping you will too. Look & listen (even if you roll your eyes first).



Do you see the motorcycle?




Now do you see it?





The Honda crotch rocket rider was traveling at approximately
85 mph. The VW driver was talking on a cell phone when she
pulled out from a side street, apparently not seeing the
motorcycle. The riders reaction time was not sufficient
enough to avoid this accident.
The car had two passengers
and the bike rider was found INSIDE the car with them.
The Volkswagen actually flipped over from the force of impact
and landed 20 feet from where the collision took place.

All three involved (two in the car and the bike rider) were
killed instantly. This graphic demonstration was placed at
the Motorcycle Fair by the Police and Road Safety Department..
Pass this on to car drivers or soon to be
new drivers, or new motorcycle owners
AND ESPECIALLY EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO HAS A CELL PHONE!!!!!
A picture is worth a thousand words.

Save a life…

Stop talking on Cell phones and Texting while trying to drive.
The life you save may be your own..... or mine...

GrAdEs bAbY!

Not that anyone cares but I thought I'd post my grades yet again (I tend to do this each semester). Just FYI, I don't post my grades in a flaunty way. I post them because it keeps me energized. It's motivation to keep working hard come next semester because I know at the end of the next semester I'll be posting them again. Make sense?


German (5 credits)........................A
Private Piano Lessons (1 credit)........A
Advanced Music Theory (3 credits).....A-
Choir (1 credit)..............................A
Group Woodwind (1 credit)...............A
Group Brass (1 credit).....................A
Private Vocal Lessons (1 credit)..........A
Jazz Improv (1 credit).....................A-
Opera Workshop (2 credits)...............A


So there they are. My semester GPA is 3.92 which isn't quite as good as last semester's 4.0 but I'm relieved to have what I have. I honestly thought the German class was going to RUIN my GPA. So, I'm smiling right now. I'm happy.

It's done and over with!! YiPpEeEeEeEe!!!

P.S. I was also accepted into the Secondary Education Program. So come fall, I'll not only be working on my musicianship skills (ha!) I'll be working on getting my teaching certificate! I'm really excited! Thanks, Nikki, for ALL your help in the past! You are wonderful...and I appreciate how well you took care of me. :) I'm in now!

P.S.S. This is for you "swweeeeeeeeetieeee! My leetle fudge bur-ow-nie!"!!

The end and the beginning

WELL, WINTER/SPRING SEMESTER IS OFFICIALLY OVER! WAHOOO!

(this is me - can't tell if I'm relieved, hurting, scared, happy, and/or excited)



AND SUMMER SEMESTER BEGINS TODAY. BOO-FREAKIN'-HOO.