So, we had a barbeque, ate homemade ice cream while watching a funny old movie, and then headed over to my parent's for fireworks. Picture, if you will, 8 adults and 5 kids sitting comfortably in a driveway while fireworks are lit in the parking lot about 30 feet away. We were all enjoying ourselves, oohing and ahhing at the fountains and keeping our distance so no one got hurt. Then, for the grand finale, we had two aerials to enjoy. We all moved away from the car port, so we could see better and my wonderful husband lit the first aerial about 100 feet away from all of us.
It was amazing, but the second had twice as many aerials and we were all excited. Three of the kids were standing by the car, which was in the parking lot, but they were still 100 feet away. I was holding the baby next to my Great Aunt and Uncle by the fence that separated us from the parking lot. My dad and my two-year-old were sitting in the golf cart just next to us, and I'm not sure where my mom and two sisters were.
My husband lit the second aerial and then moved to safety. The first two or three exploded into the air and then I felt a 60 mph baseball (it could possibly have been going much faster) nail me on my big toe. I was so surprised by this that I looked down and then it exploded. I looked to my right to see my Great Aunt and Uncle surrounded by flames and then turned to my left to see another explosion in the golf cart. My Great Aunt got the flames out that surrounded them by stomping on them and all I could think to do was to get away from it. I yelled for everyone to run and heard someone yell for my two-year-old. As I looked to my left again, while I was high- tailing it, I noticed the flames in the golf cart and my sister helping my dad out and my dad handed my two-year-old, who was surrounded by fire, off to safety. My dad, I believe it was, was yelling for the hose and we had a bucket of water but I, for the life of me, couldn't remember where it had been put. I turned the hose on and the flames were extinguished.
What happens next is a miracle. There's really no other word for it, because all of us, as we gathered after what should have been an enormous tragedy, were fine. I have a bruised toe and a 1st degree burn on my upper lip, my dad will probably have a bruise on his leg where the "baseball" hit him, and our two-year-old has a couple small 1st degree burns, about 5 small 2nd degree burns, and one small 3rd degree burn. And all of his burns are below his belly button, besides one on his hand. ( I make it sound like no big deal, but he was pretty upset until the Tylenol we gave him started working.)
My dad's pants were burned, but he wasn't burned at all. My one sister's flip flop was melted apart, but she wasn't burned, either. And my Great Aunt and Uncle weren't harmed at all. What's more amazing is that the three kids in front of the car and the baby in my arms weren't hurt at all.
After we got home, I made sure the kids were all okay and then gathered them together to express to them what a miracle we had been a part of. I told them that Heavenly Father protected us and that it could, and should, have been much, much worse. They were all pretty worried about their little brother, but realize now that he will be okay.
My dad and husband gave our little guy a blessing and we're going to take him to the doctor first thing in the morning (we figured we'd be waiting at the ER until 8am anyway). I feel confident that he is going to be fine and that he's been saved for a great purpose.
I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father protected my family tonight. This could have been such an awful experience, but has turned into a faith-building experience instead. I feel so blessed to be going to bed with all my children and husband asleep safely in bed. I hope I never forget this moment and that I cherish my life and the lives of each member of my family as I never have before. Thank you Heavenly Father for this enormous miracle!!
