A forgotten February 2014 snippet

I say "forgotten," but if I was being totally honest with myself, the title of this post would be more like: A "purposely-forced-from-memory-to-maintain-any-ounce-of-motherly-dignity-I-might-have" February 2014 snippet.

One year ago today, February 14, 2014, I went to  Brown Middle School to pick up Jake from jazz band practice. I was driving Jared's Honda Pilot, which is shorter than the suburban I'm used to. To get to the front of Jake's school, you turn in from the street (a smidge past the school), then immediately turn to the right and drive parallel to the school until the path snakes to the left, where it splits into two lanes, before winding around to the front.

I was stuck right at the last curve to the left, not yet in front of the school, partially in both lanes. But Jake spotted me and came to the car anyway. I was almost out of the passing lane and wanted to pull up just a bit more into the "load/unload" lane by the curb. Before I could do that, though, Jake opened the back passenger door and put his saxophone in on the seat. The car in front of me drove off and I had cars lined up behind me. I was just going to inch forward a few inches to get out of the way so I wasn't blocking cars wanting to use the passing lane. And I did. Instantly, Jake hit the outside of the car above the door with the palm of his hand and exclaimed accusingly, "You just ran over my foot!" He was laughing though, so I laughed at his joke and said, "No, I didn't." He said, "YES!! You did!"

Wait--what?!?

And then I vaguely recalled sensing a small bump moments before. I had driven over Jake's foot! In my head, before I inched forward, I thought he was clear from the car--or tires, at least. In the suburban, there would have been more length from the door to the back tire, but I wasn't in the burb. Dumb assumption and move on my part, either way.

My whole body was enveloped in uncomfortable heat. I could feel my entire being turn a deep shade of red from head to toe, from the inside out. I was mortified!!! I just ran over my CHILD! Yeeeahhh, Mother of the Year, right here, folks. We were also driving a girl home for the first or second time who was new to our ward. If she didn't witness my horrible mishap, she certainly heard the exchange between me and Jake. I worried she might be worried for her safety and tried to reassure her that I don't normally drive over my kids.

Poor Jake was a good, good sport. He didn't cry. Said he wasn't in pain. In fact, he got sick and tired of me asking about him and his foot in the short ten minute drive home and begged me to stop. It was too late on a Friday evening to get an x-ray, of course. But we had our resident sports med expert, Jared, check him out and assess the damage. Jared didn't think it was broken. I wasn't so sure. I just drove an SUV tire OVER the top of his foot! How on earth could you run over someone's foot and not break one of those tiny bones?? Especially when I know lots of people who have merely tripped or hit their foot on a piece of furniture and have broken it that way.

Jake was more upset I ran over his new basketball shoes. And I was SOOOOO relieved that his recreation basketball championship tournament (a title they easily cinched!) had been the week before! I would have never forgiven myself if it was broken and he couldn't play in the tournament. I get chest pangs just thinking about that scenario. His foot was a little swollen, but he insisted we go out on our Valentine's date anyway. I think he just wanted his annoying mom to leave him alone!

He had a church dance the next day and was able to put weight on it. I told him at least he had something interesting to talk about with the girls he danced with and you better believe he totally milked it!

I took him in for an x-ray on Monday which confirmed there were no broken bones. I miracle in my book! When I explained what I did to the four teenage boys in my youth Sunday School class two days after the incident, they laughed but tried to make me feel better by saying, "the weight of cars nowadays are pretty well distributed" and another one even said, "yeah, my mom did that to me, too." Actually, that really did make me feel better ;)