Magic Prayers

So right after President's day is our nephew's baptism in Portland Oregon on the 26th.  I had to do some shuffling with the Stake Primary to work that out but I was able to arrange at the last minute to make the trip with Ellie and Darik.  It was going to be a short trip - leave early Friday, stay for baptism on Saturday, and leave early Sunday to drive home.  I can tell you one thing.  That drive was a bugger - and we really shouldn't all be in one piece right now.  We left at 4:30 am with a quick prayer to arrive safely, and the weather/roads in Idaho were HORRIBLE.  The snow was so bad and Darik was driving slow.  We get to Oregon and the weather clears up, there's snow, but the roads are dry.  {sigh of relief, until . . . } Boom.  Our car is off the road and careening towards a set of trees.  It's just waking up time so I glance down at Ellie who's laying down to sleep without a seat belt on right, I calmly put my hand on her look and and just wait for what is to happen to us.  Darik wakes up and slowly and calmly just turns the car back towards the freeway and drives us 20 feet back up onto pavement.

That's it.  We didn't hit a rock or a bump that sent us rolling.  Darik didn't overcorrect.  We weren't in a hilly area or one with cliffs.  In fact it was pretty much the only flat, safe part of Oregon to run off the side of the road.  Darik gets out to the check the car and all that's wrong is the fender (obviously) from taking out a reflector pole.  But not even that or anything else tore up the bottom of our car.  He hops back in and we're on our way.

I have never had such a testimony of answered prayers than that moment.  We literally should not all be in one piece right now.  Several times since then we have taken a few moments to literally Thank the Lord for his protection.

p.s. There must be something out there that we're supposed to do in this life because with all our cross country trips it's a miracle we're even still alive.