2008 blew in with a storm

New Year's Eve and Day was actually very quiet, we were mainly getting Naomi ready to depart back for Hawaii. Taka was the last of us to catch and get over a cold.

January 3rd we were told Hurricane-like 60mph winds and rains were coming. I called American Airlines, which Naomi was flying with the next morning. Three times I called them- even up until we left our home at 5:30 am. They didn't cancel- well not until half an hour before the flight. Too late for us. We got into the worst accident of my life. Here, I wrote this to some friends soon after:

It's been like a dream, but more a nightmare.



Yesterday was earth shaking for us in more ways than just the weather's storming. Our view on life is permanently altered- as is our view from our home, where the palm tree, which was part of our lovely scenery from our third story apartment, was blown down by the rains. It's like it died in our place.

Yesterday morning, we were driving Naomi, to the airport in horrible rains at 6am.. We had borrowed a large van from friends, because we also were to pick up a family of four friends to visit here for a couple of days on their way back to Japan.

We ended up having a terrible car accident on the highway- it was amazing nobody was killed- or at least badly hurt. We hydroplaned, on the four lane highway. The car spun and hit the divider on the bumper, (we thought we were going to go over that divider) then the car turned itself again we hit into the divider again practically head on. The bumper tore off (and got left behind) I somehow could steer it back into the middle lane, but also by then no brakes or emergency brakes worked.We were headed into a muddy grassy embankment on the other side of the highway, I remember telling Naomi and Taka I couldn't hit- we were going to hit.... Miraculously no other cars, were near us. I had thought to remind Naomi to put on her seat belt but hadn't. She banged her head and got thrown some, now it's hurting her body, but we didn't go to any hospital (she recently had to do that trip, and by ambulance in Hawaii, after a bad scooter spill and she is still paying fees for that, you know that Michael Moore movie about the medical system?!) For us the medical personnel and cops that came to help were so kind and also offered calling an ambulance, but there was no blood, and our blood pressures were fine.

Dear Victor from the city picked us up from the towing company office. We went to his home to wait out the storm. Naomi caught another plane the next morning. Her plane hadn't been cancelled until 8am (departure was 8:30) .... ha, ha, ha! no extra fees for that plane rescheduling, but we have some extra fees for rescheduling our departure from earth!! Gosh, that's a good one!

The car owners-Jennipher and Thomas are so, so caring. They are a two car owning family... I know I will have to help them buy a new car, but at least we'll see what the adjuster can figure out their insurance can pay. Interestingly (there are many interesting things about how this happened!) Jennipher had told me the day before how she liked that car and appreciated how good it was for her family, but she wanted to downsize, after her son got his driver's license, ...that would have been a couple years later.

I think about how close to perfect our lives has gotten, then how close to death we were. A balancing effect it seems in a way. Only a few more days until I return to Japan until mid-March. Time is healing, I'm still feeling so in awe- and thankful. It wasn't our time yet. xoxoxox hugging and kissing everyone now!!