Back in the Saddle Again

Since the accident, driving is something of an adventure.

A tense, stressful, anxious, sometimes amusing adventure.

Driving around town isn't that big of a deal, but two days ago we picked Bradley up from work and ran a few errands around Provo/Orem. I didn't take the freeway that time, but even driving on the surface streets wigged Em out a LOT. "Why are we going so fast?" "Watch out for that car, Momma!" The small screeches every time I touched the brake were my favorite part. And by favorite, I mean they made my head explode.

I was stressed out enough by the experience even without her additions. Before we left, I laid down the law: You Don't Bother Momma While She Is Driving. No talking to her, even. I found myself clutching the steering wheel with white-knuckled, sweaty hands, and I probably drove like an 80-year-old blue-haired great-grandma. Slow to accelerate, quick to slow down, and loooong following distances.

I suppose it isn't too surprising that Em picked up on my anxiety. I made Bradley drive for the rest of the trip.

Yesterday, we went up to Primary Children's during the afternoon. (We're embarking on toilet training for Gee, hooray-I'm-scared-to-death!) I picked Zee up from school a little early, and we drove up to get Daddy from work. This time I took the freeway from Spanish to Provo.

That freaked Em out even more. There were still many shrieks and screeches. At one point, I had moved carefully over to the middle lane, to allow merging traffic to get on the freeway. A large, double-trailer truck got on the freeway into the right hand lane, and, leaving his blinker on, immediately moved into my lane, in front of me. There was less than two car-lengths between us, so I took my foot off the accelerator. At the same time, another car from the on-ramp moved over into my lane, this time behind me, and still going at quite a fast clip. Em happened to be looking out the back window at that moment, and she shrieked, "MOM! That car is gaining speed toward us!"

(Aside: That's really what she said: "Gaining speed toward us!" Who says things like that? My daughter, I suppose.)

All was well, and the incident wasn't even anything I'd have noticed, before the accident. But it taught me that my older two children (Zee isn't as bad, but he's definitely more jumpy in the car recently) need a little time to get over the scare. Just like me.