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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Being grateful for the little things....

Hi everyone :)

Normally I keep this blog pretty much related to crafting and don't usually chat very much about my life in outside of crafty blog world.  Something happened this Friday to me that took me the whole weekend to digest and figure out how I was feeling....

After a terrible week at work I was SO looking forward to Friday rolling around (it sure took it's sweet time!).  It looked like a fairly typical day....we might even finish early and I could take my lunch at the end of the day and get home by 2!!!!  oh I was so HOPING this would happen - all I wanted to do was be home with my family....my job is NOT my life....life is when I'm at home :)

That was  not going to happen this Friday......nor any other day this week-sigh.

It turns out I had to fly again (which is a big part of my job) about 40 mins north and do a pick up and return flight and complete a drop off....ok I think....not TOO bad...I should still get home by 3.......

I get to the airport with my partner and we get on our plane.  This particular plane is not the one we usually fly in- our company has a dedicated plane but was already booked and other arrangements were made to fly with this company.

We hop on board - totally psyched that there is coffee and snacks - woo hoo!!!  We buckle up and the pilots ask if we are good to go...we say "sure!! we have coffee and donuts - what more could we ask for?"  We even joked that as long as we had our coffee who cares if the plane goes down?  This is all of course in jest and the pilots remind us they will be doing some panel instrument change-outs mid flight. So in other words-don't panic when they start taking all the gauges off :)

The Pilot starts the plane, it starts humming, it's powering up.....he starts taxi-ing towards the runway for take off.....pilot 1 looks out the left window, checks again....says something to pilot 2 in his headset....they look out the left window again.... I take a look out the left window........ I see smoke!!!  It's coming out of the left engine!!!

Then the Left Engine Fire gauge blinks on - I look out the window and I see flames!!!!  Pilot 1 shuts down the plane, we are all calmly saying yeah engine 1 is on fire....I say;  I think it would be a good idea to get off the plane now....pilot 2 (who I think is in shock right now) goes: uh yeah...good idea.

Pilot 1 is trying to get the fire extinguisher out from under his seat....it's STUCK....he's yanking on it and it's not budging.......we scramble out off the plane.....amazingly my partner and I BOTH still have a cup of coffee in our hands....AS IF!!!!

We go running towards our vehicle to grab our fire extinguisher before the engine and jet fuel decide to blow......and pilot 1 is now out of the plane and is running towards the terminal....

We get an extinguisher and the fire gets put out.....we stand mouths agape looking at the charred engine.

I make some phone calls and advised we were going to be behind schedule....I nonchalantly say - yeah our plane's engine caught on fire and we are going to be late.  How odd to be so very calm and yet still know to make the necessary calls and then on to the next task....

We head back to the office while another plane is flying in from about 2 hours away....great, let's try this flying thing again.....woop woop.

I end up flying out around 2, successfully do the pick up and drop off and scurry my lucky little butt home.

When I say it took a whole weekend for the gravity of the situation and the potential catastrophe that could have so easily happened.....it really did take that long.

I was blessed that day.....someone was looking out for me- that's for sure.  Crappy week at work?  You BET I had one (I could easily say it was the worst week I have had since I've ben there)........Perspective?  Yep, I gained a whole lot of that.....maybe my week wasn't so absolutely terrible after all.  I mean, I got to go home to my family, my life.



39 comments:

Cheryl Boglioli said...

Wow! Can't think of anything more profound than that right now. I'm SO thankful you are safe and home with your family. I cannot believe you had the courage to keep going with your day and not "call it a day" right there and then to go home. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Here is to hoping you have a fabulous week this week.

Love crafts forever said...

OMG!!!!! I am glad you safe.

Michele said...

Oh my word!!! Yeah, I totally get what you are saying.

I had one of those moments 10 years ago when I had what could have been (should have been really) a fatal accident. I got away with fairly minor injuries considering the severity of the accident. You really gain a whole new perspective on things after something so "close call" like that.

I am so glad you were able to walk safely away from that! So glad!!!

Dawn McCarty said...

OMGness. I can't believe. Thank God he was watching out for you. I a glad you are ok. Did you still have to go on a plane that night? I don't think i could fly again. Love you blog. I hope this week is GREAT for you. Thank you for sharing. I sure made me think.

Alison said...

Glad to hear you are safe. You have more courage than me...I would have went home right after the fire. Your employer is lucky to have you.
And we are lucky to have you too, love your blog :)
Have a great week.

217 Creations said...

Glad to hear you are ok. You said it best . . . Perspective! Big hugs!

shari said...

OMG I'm so glad your all okay. The good Lord was definately looking out for you. Shari (cricutrookie)

~BridgetL~ said...

You most certainly had a rough week, but I am happy to hear that you made it home safely to your family. I would have been hysterical. Good for you keeping calm.

Linda said...

An amazing post, someone sure was looking out for you. Hope this week is better.
Linda

Melissa said...

Mya THANK GOD you are okay and THANK GOD the plane was still on the ground and not in the air when this happened!

MelissaAllore on the Cricut Board

yvette said...

Eeeeekkk what a scary story!! I am very glad to read everyone is ok!!

Body and mind work amazing though under strange circumstances don't they? Adrenalin takes over and you do what you have to do to survive! *clap clap* for good thinking :)

Ohhh Snap said...

Dannnnnng Magoo! All's well that ends well, but if that were me I'd have about 40 more gray hairs (and I'm running out of hairs that need to turn gray as most of them have gone there already).

I do love the bit where you have your coffee in hand while you survey the scene lol. Thank goodness you all had a fire extinguisher in your car (note to self, get fire extinguisher for car).

Glad you are ok, and while it's good to have things to make us appreciate our everyday, my wish for you is a life that is a little less interesting lol. (I'm aiming for pure humdrum myself lol).

~ Lorrie ~ said...

Oh WOW! You are a braver soul than I! So glad it turned out ok and you never lost your coffee! LOL How scary!

Sue said...

Glad you are safe and sound, and you still flew that day???? you are brave!

Bobbi said...

WOW, I have to hand it to you though, it seems like you kept it together and that is why it was such a great turn out. You did a great job and should be proud of how you reacted because you know next time that you can handle a crisis. You have a guardian angel looking out for you.

Sheila aka SassyLady said...

Oh my goodness.... Thank God you are ok!!! Things like this can really give you a new perspective. So glad you are ok!!!

papillon digital design said...

I am so glad that you're Ok. take care sweetie. Yes these things do remind us how precious life is and to enjoy each and every moment we have.

JeanneLee said...

Crystal, so glad that you All are safe. Can't imagine how you must have been feeling.Time with family is precious...enjoy and take care!

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you are okay and made it home to spend the weekend with your family. I'm sure you appreciated it even more after that incident.

flowerdisco said...

all I am saying is glad you guys are ok. and a praise to the Lord.

Ladybug said...

OMG -- what a scary thing to go thru! Glad you and everyone one else made it out alright. Soooo glad you weren't in the air when that happened. Stay safe!!

Rozette said...

MYA I am so glad you are okay. What a blessing that the fire happened while still on the ground and not even 3 minutes later...what a difference 180 seconds can make.

I am glad you and everyone on the plane is okay.

SherriC. said...

OM Gosh I have goose bumps, so glad you all are OK!!!

Lynda said...

It's amazing how calm some of us can be in the midst of chaos. I'm so happy your story ended well and you spent the weekend mentally recuperating and enjoying your family. It does put a lot of things into perspective. Glad you're alright!

SweetSassyDiva said...

OMG! I'm so glad that you're ok! How are you doing emotionally? Have you come down so to speak? ((((HUGS)))) Grace under pressure! wow! I'm so glad that it was not your time. We would miss you terribly!

Snowmanlover said...

oh my gosh, how awful! I was just checking in to see how you are! Gosh, so glad you are safe! Cetainly puts things in perspective!!!

Tia Yvette said...

Oh my goodness...how scary! You definitely handled the situation much better than I would have. I am so glad you are okay and made it safely back to your family. Thanks for sharing your story with us. :)

Anonymous said...

What a very scary situation. I am so glad that the story has a happy, not tragic, ending!

Anonymous said...

This just make me worry MORE about you! Thank God you are safe.

Jessica said...

Wow! what a scary thing to go through! I'm glad you all survived the drama! Things like this always show me that God is with us!

Valerie said...

Awesome story. You are a blessed lady. And God knows we NEED you and your talent for a very long time. God Bless you

Di&Co said...

First of all, glad you're safe! When you have a close call like that, it changes the way you think about everything. As for the company that you were flying with, Id be checking their safety record really quick! Your post gave me the shivers....

kim.mom said...

WOW - something like that sure does make you look at things in a different perspective and get your priorities straight! So gla dyou are OK!

Debby from Pgh.,PA said...

I was in a car accident a few years ago that helped me too look at life and what's important differently. I am so glad you walked away from all of this without a scratch. :-) God Bless.

icraft2create.com said...

Something like that sure reminds you where your priorities are doesn't it? Glad to hear you are safe and with your family.

Tammy said...

Mya! It gave me goosebumps to read your post!! You are sooo right! I am so grateful that you were able to go home to your family! And I hope that week is going much better for you!

Hugs girl!!
Tammy

Gloria Westerman said...

Yes someone is watching over you....and I glad your safe....Tammy sent some of over here and I love your video.....thanks for sharing...

Turnedgypsy said...

i am glad you are safe. i had experience flying from loveland colorado to denver one year...with high winds...when we finally landed the everything at the airport was flying around almost hitting us. there was this japanese man on the plane that day and you could tell he was praying for his life....those winds in colorado can be pretty darn hard on small aircraft...this was a commuter plane, so only had 13 seats on board...the plane was be thrown around like a dish rag and it was a miracle the pilot was able to land that day....ever since that day, I fly on bigger jets...i do not want to fly on those little 13 seaters anymore..

anyways i know you are so glad to have your feet on the ground with your family...

Marian G said...

I am so grateful that you are ok.

You never know what the future holds, but we know WHO holds our future. It is quite obvious that you had some angels watching over you and the others affected by this.

When you think about what could have happened, it does help you to focus on what is important in life (your note from your daughter, etc).

Again, I am SO GRATEFUL that you are ok. Thank you for sharing this with us.

You are a special lady and we appreciate you here.

God Bless and Take Care,

Marian G