Please Buckle Up

"Embrace life. Always wear your seat belt"

Dear Friends,

This, by all accounts, began as an art blog but I also started it with the intent of sharing bits and pieces of my life and my experiences as a mother trying to make her dreams come true while her children watch. Sometimes there are powerful events that take place in our lives that we must talk about from time to time with the hopes that it might make a difference to someone.

Today is an anniversary for me. Three years ago was the reception for my first ever show at a gallery. It was a big deal and I was very excited. At the end of the event I couldn't have imagined a better day, so many friends and family came to see me and my work- it was busy and fun and paintings sold! A success in so many ways. My children attended for awhile and I was proud to share the day with them, but a five and seven year old get a bit bored at such events, so my parents eventually took them to their house. At the end of the afternoon my husband and I picked them up and as we drove away we talked about going out for dinner to celebrate. I was so tired I thought we should just go home, get our jammies on and have a Pizza Hut picnic in front of the TV. To this day I regret my decision.

My husband rerouted us and when we were about five blocks from home a woman ran a red light at the intersection we were going through and slammed right into us on the passenger side of the car. My husband saw her- I remember him saying "She's not stopping!", but I didn't have time to turn to see her, she was already crashing into us. We rolled and it truly was like slow motion. From that split second until I knew they were okay at the hospital later, all I could think of was my boys.

This is why I write about the accident again. Please make sure your children are buckled up safe and sound... and not just that... make sure they are in the correct car seat or booster for their age and size. That is a vital piece of the puzzle. Make sure if they are infants that they are facing backwards in their baby car seat  for the first year and until they reach the appropriate size and weight. Check and double check. Go to car seat clinics. Don't put young kids in the front of the vehicle if you have an airbag that could go off. Airbags pack a whollop- when my side airbag went off I actually thought it was the van caving in on me with the impact!

Take care of your precious cargo. That is my message. These things happen fast and without warning. I am so thankful our traumatic experience ended with my family in-tact and I am so sad when I hear of accidents with horrific outcomes. Seat belts are not a sure-fire guarantee, but your odds are way better if they are used correctly.

Embrace life. Always wear your seat belt.

Nicki

Embrace Life - It's Been Two Years

  Embrace Life- please wear your seatbelts

As much as I don't want to be a Debbie Downer... wah wah wah... this topic is too important to not take the opportunity to mention. 

Today is the second anniversary of our car accident which happened to follow my first ever gallery opening. What began as a day in which a dream was being realized, ended with my family in a situation I had never before imagined- with all of us in the emergency room. On our way home after the opening reception of my art show we had been blind sided by a lady who ran the red light. She hit the passenger side of our van at full speed on the sliding door where my, then, 7 year old was sitting and she also connected with part of my door. It is a miracle my son had virtually no injuries. I still can't believe it. Every single window in the van was smashed because we rolled 1 and 1/4 times... except his window on the sliding door that was hit. It was in perfect condition. As we rolled I heard the windows breaking and I remember screaming, "Keep your arms in!!!" In those split seconds I was terrified someone's arm would flail out and be crushed under the rolling van. We came to rest on the passenger side. I looked up to see my husband safely secured by his seat belt in the driver's seat. I looked back to see my, then, five year old strapped safely in his seat, albeit up in the air behind my husband. Blood from a cut above his left eye was dripping down on my other son, who was strapped to his seat. My seat belt had me gripped so tightly that I couldn't turn to see Sammy who was right behind me. It was terrifying, because his was the door that got the brunt of the hit. It was easily the worst thing I have ever been through.... but the most miraculous. We were, and are, all right. 

Not a day goes by when I don't think of the accident, usually when I am driving. It is not a bad thing because I feel like it keeps me aware and in the moment when I am on the road. I have had people tell me that when they heard about our accident it affected them to the point that it made a difference to their driving and made them more vigilant about the use of seat belts. That is why I am writing about this again and why I will next year on November 8. 

Read more about our story...

and for the love of life.... please wear your seat belts.

Embrace Life - An Anniversary of Sorts

"Embrace Life-

always wear your seat belt"

Today is a significant day for me as an artist and also for my family. It marks two things: 1) the one year anniversary of the opening of my first gallery show which was a dream come true and 2) the one year anniversary of the traumatic car accident that was a nightmare come true.

I wanted to share this beautiful and powerful commercial with anyone that may come across my blog with the hopes that it will reinforce the importance of wearing your seat belt. If you have children please make sure they are in the proper car seats/ boosters for their size, weight and age. Doing so is your best defense if you are ever in an accident. While it doesn't guarantee a positive outcome it certainly increases the odds. In our case, wearing seat belts prevented a traumatic experience from being devastating. My head can't even go there to imagine the injuries, or worse, if we weren't wearing them.

Embrace life, it can change in an instant.

Nicki