Aside

Rear Ends and Flats

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Have you ever been sitting at a red light, comfortably minding your own business, having funny chatter with your three year old daughter in the back seat when BAM someone smacks into the back of your car?  So that happened to me this week.  It’s the third time I’ve been rear ended in 6 months.  Cue rear end jokes.

I was driving home from the gym talking with (10) my sweet little girl who gives the best hugs in the whole world and makes me laugh almost as much as (9) Joel McHale when some lady smashed into my car.  Hard. Leaving me with a scratched bumper and an annoyingly sore back.  You should see her car though.

Dealing with the insurance company has proved to be quite an ordeal.  I’ve spent hours of my life on the phone with different people reporting the damage, giving my recorded statement (in which, he asked if there was anything in my car distracting me from my driving, and I replied “the only thing  distracting me was the red light at which I was legally stopped minding my own business when someone who was distracted slammed into me.”), and then trying to schedule a doctors visit.  Apparently, doctors do not so much care for seeing people after car accidents because there’s this little thing called “money,” and they want it, but car insurance companies don’t care to freely give it, so Monday I got hit by a car, and Saturday I’m still not scheduled to be seen by anyone.  Maybe I need to call The Texas Hammer or something, but all I want is to be able to go to the gym and take my favorite (8) cardio core class, which I’ve attended three times a week for over a year now, and I’m certain is the reason why my injury is not so severe, especially considering that just last week I fell down the stairs really hard and still managed to make it to the gym three times without buckling over in pain.  I’m sure everything will work out, but good grief.  Could they not make it a little easier for the….victim?

My week started off bad, but then 7) my dear sweet mother-in-law who is one of my absolute favorite people in the entire world and the most shiny sparkly beautiful woman I know called me on Thursday and asked if she could come and (6) pick up my kids from my house on Friday to (5) spend the entire weekend at her house with her and my (4) father-in-law.   We learned this week that she has stage 4 cancer and will start aggressive chemotherapy treatments this month, so she wanted a weekend alone with my children before she gets sick.

Cancer.  Stage 4.  Chemo.  Cue explicit horrible words.

We strapped our kids into my father-in-law’s SUV, and as I kissed my little boy goodbye and (3) his smile spread across his rosy cheeks, I squeezed him a little bit harder and whispered in his ear, “Have so much fun, sweet boy,” because what he doesn’t know and can’t possibly fathom but lingers in the back of my mind is that his grandmother who adores him and  has picked him up on so many Fridays might never be able to again.

But then she might.  Light thoughts replace dark thoughts, which offers (2) hope.

My husband and I watched them drive away, walked into our house holding hands, and then realized we had the entire house to ourselves for the entire weekend.  I jumped in the shower and got ready so that we could go to happy hour (something we never get to enjoy since having kids).  We decided to go to this cute little village that offers both shopping (blek) and lots of dining and drinking.   In another attempt to woo my husband, I chose an outfit that could only be accessorized by my favorite chocolate colored suede knee high boots.  He whistled when I walked in the room.  Score!  Only, when I started walking around the house, grabbing my jacket and my purse, the four inch heels shot pain straight to that annoying spot in my back that’s been there since Monday.  I sunk on the couch and started to pout because once a girl chooses her outfit, having to choose another one just sucks all of the air right out of her, and he whistled, so there’s that.  Husband disappeared (which I could only assume was an effort to avoid anything that is me when I’m trying to figure out what to wear) but reappeared in the room holding my new favorite and very comfortable flats.

Skull Shoe Selfie (pouty duck lips)

Skull Shoe Selfie (pouty duck lips)

“Just wear these,” he said and flashed me my favorite look in the entire world, the one that only he can do with just half of his lips smiling.  Of course, I whined about wanting to look nice and always wearing flats and wanting him to notice me, etc.  But in end, he won.  I wore flats, took some Advil before we left, and drank some gin, which all helped to numb the pain, and we had a wonderful night….(1) just the two of us.

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43 thoughts on “Rear Ends and Flats”

  2. Your children are the cutest lil imps EVER. You know M rocks my world with her pouts.

    SO SO sorry about the fender benders, but most of all….UGH….your MIL. I’m wrecked for you. Utterly wrecked. All my love and prayers towards a successful treatment. **HUGS**

    I really hope your back is feeling better. You need PT or something cuz that shit doesn’t go away. Once a hurt back, always a hurt back. To an extent. You need to be careful. Baby it.

    HAPPYSPARKLYWOW that you got a date night! You guys SO deserve that time. And YES to getting his attention. How could you not? You’re effing stunning even in sweats. I would give anything for your body. (notice how I didn’t say, I would DO anything, cuz clearly if I DID stuff, I’d probably have your body….sigh)

    crazymadlove all over you! xoxoxo

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  3. Glad that the two of you got a small break and that you had a fun time. But who drinks gin though? Really. Haha. Sorry to hear about your mom in law? How’s hubby taking it? I wish the best for you and your family. #familyfirst

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  6. Mandi, first and foremost we are totally sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. We are sending her Right and Perfect healing prayers. Now. That is totally legit…we are.

    Getting rear-ended. This is not a crude innuendo. But, for innocent victims like you in those scenarios I wish for them to have a tube of KY to get out of the car with. Walk back calmly to the idiot and hand it to the driver saying to them, “Next time, aim better.” Pisses me off. Thank gawd your daughter wasn’t hurt. And I’m sorry for any pain you are going through both physically and/or on the phone with the insurance claims people! Do get that back checked out and taken care of. Those injuries can be very haunting. Thinking positive – your’s will be just fine! 🙂

    On a happier note…woo hoo on your date with your honey! But c’mon, my dear, you tease us with a selfie post (awesome again btw) and we get flats?! You could have given us something!

    Hugs to you, our friend, and we hope that your worst week of the year is now out of the way for good. You are such a doll with an amazing kind heart 🙂

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    • Thanks for all of the wonderful nice words and especially for the prayers, Mike. Keep ’em coming. Sorry to just give you my feet, but that does it for some people, right? 🙂 I’m not looking forward to another week of dealing with insurance people, but at least I got 2 date nights in a row with my husband. We really enjoyed our kid free weekend.

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  7. I seriously love the response you gave to the insurance company about whether you were distracted at the time of the accident.

    Toms? The weather was warm and springy last weekend, and I wore a pair of Toms for the first time in what seems like forever and took a picture of my feet, too, because I was so sick of looking down and seeing warm boots.

    I’m so very sorry about your mother in law. Saying a prayer for her. And all of your family. It will be hard.

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    • Thanks so much for your prayers, Dyanne. I’m so glad you got to wear warm weather shoes. It’s so funny how at the beginning of the winter, I can’t wait to put on my warm furry boots, but a month in, and I’m ready to pull out my flip flops again. I guess I’m never happy! Thanks for appreciating my response to his stupid question. I wanted to reach through the phone and thump him in the forehead.

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  8. Oh Mandi, huge, huge heart-squeeze-terror-worry for your MIL. I love the shoes and the wolf-whistle, and I’m pissed about the car and the insurance and your sore back, but…

    …Oh I hope she’s alright. That she comes through it as unscathed as possible. That she gets many, many more years looking after your children and enjoying a fabulous,growing bond with them. That you and your husband get some peace of mind, knowing she’s in it for the long haul.

    Sending prayers and all kinds of good vibes and thoughts for her effective treatment and swift recovery.

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  9. Mandi, I am so, so sorry to hear about your mother in law. I promise I will pray for her and for your family. Yes, please change dark thoughts to light and do not give up hope.
    I am also sorry about the rear-ending and I am glad your little one is okay and hope you get seen by someone soon about your back. Do not get me started about insurance companies…such bulls***! I did love your response in your statement about being distracted by the red light! Not a funny situation but it did give me a chuckle. (I totally just said ‘chuckle’…)
    Hooray for date night..always! And the shoes? Awesome!

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    • Thanks, Sandy. I do love those shoes and have warn them almost every single day since I bought them. I’m glad I could make you chuckle. And I love that word. Thank you for your prayers, too. You can never have too many of those.

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  11. This is SUCH an amazing list, you’ve had quite the full week. Wow. That stinks about your back, yes it could have been worse, but still: A big ball of suck. Especially that no one has done anything to help you, isn’t THAT why we pay for insurance? SO annoying.
    I’m so sorry to hear about your mother-in-law, that is scary. If it’s any comfort, my 1st MIL went through a cancer battle twice, and now she’s on the other hand and has been cancer-free for almost 10 years. At least we’ve come a long way in that battle. Not always a comfort when you’re on THIS end of the battle though.
    Good for you, and especially your wonderful husband for understanding that sometimes we just have to put on the comfy shoes and enjoy what is available! We just had a rare sitter night, and I posted on my Facebook page about the difficulty I have dressing up anymore, where are my ONE pair of tights? Which boots can I wear in a snowstorm? What dressy clothes fit over my holiday fat, which is even worse than my usual fat? 🙂 at least he loves you and completely supports you, that is everything!

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    • Joy, my least favorite thing about going out “on the town” is finding what to wear. I’m so uncomfortable in dressing up. I’m so much happier in my yoga pants and sneakers, with my hair in a bun. Thanks so much for sharing your success story. It’s really so good to hear when things turn out well, considering all of the thoughts that we have been fighting. It’s so good to hear that she’s doing well and cancer free. 10 years!!! That’s so very fantastic!

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  12. Boy, it certainly has been quite the week for you! Glad you glimpsed sunshine even amidst the dark moments. Cancer. Tough on the entire family. We went through that several years ago with my MIL. Holding you, your family and in-laws in the light!

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  13. So sorry to hear of your fender bender and your Mother-in-Law. And back pain? Absolutely the worst, isn’t it? But the rest unfolds so beautifully – such moments of thankfulness in there. A date night without the kiddos is a good thing. Comfy flats (especially those cute ones?) are great. And what a wonderful husband to bring them to you and let you know the shoes just don’t matter in the end. Hope the not so terrific things on your list come out well…best to you.
    Have a great week.

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    • I do have so much to be thankful for, and even in the midst of what seems like to be a terrible week, I have a lot of reasons to smile. And I’m grateful for all of them. I love how these posts make me actually sit back and literally count my blessing.

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  14. So sorry to hear about your MIL. My did went through chemo for it and now it’s gone so don’t lose hope.

    As for your accidents, maybe people just like your rear so much they want to bump it a lot! 😉

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    • Boom – I knew I could count on a rear end joke from you. Thanks!!! And I can’t begin to describe the relief I feel when you tell me that your dad is cancer free. That helps hope spring for sure. See what I did there? Thanks, Phil. And give your dad a big hug from me. I know it must have been a hard journey for both of you.

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    • Oh, no, Kate. There wasn’t a car in front of me. Just a light, so do you blame the light? Let’s blame that damned light. Stupid thing, all red and round, making people have to stop and get rear ended or not stop and rear end someone.

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  16. Such difficult news about your MIL. Hopefully her shiny, sparkly, wonderful spirit will work wonders with the Chemo to get her back to Fridays with the kids.

    Sorry about your rear end–the one on the car and the other that prevented you from wearing those sexy boots! Hope you get that all sorted out asap and the insurance quits jerking you around. You had enough of that already.

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  17. I started crying reading about your sweet MIL. I am just so sorry and will be thinking nothing but good thoughts about her. I don’t understand cancer and how it seems to strike the people who deserve it the very least. Life really sucks sometimes. Hugs to you.-Ashley

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  19. I’m so sorry about your mother-in-law, Mandi. Sending more hope your way, and more weekends for your kids to spend with their grandmother. And for you to spend with your husband, In heels with a healthy back. With gin (which I drink too, and I am not an 80 year old man).

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  20. SO so so sorry to hear about your mother in law. My husband lost his mother to pancreatic cancer (liver, and gall bladder too) last summer. It kills me that we were taking my then 3-yo autistic son through her house, trying to have him try to choose something to remember her by. Huge prayers that your story is different, and brighter and full of hope and light. And that you know I’m sending them, with gigantic meaning and well hope.
    I love the rest of your list too, and that your husband is so lovely to have whistled and then brought you some much needed flats. I’m sure you looked uber hot in them, too.

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