Friday we got on the road about 7:00 and headed for the lakehouse. About 20 minutes away from the lakehouse, we struck a large deer crossing the road. Brady was driving. We were in a two lane construction area where they are working on widening the road. If you moved over too much you would wind up dropping off the edge onto the dirt. I now know how to properly hit a deer if it is going to commit suicide on your vehicle. Brady hit those brakes hard but he still managed to keep the car going straight. I saw that dang deer come in from the left and bounce off the vehicle and flip and slide on the road in front of us. My immediate reaction was a horrible feeling as I watched that deer flying around the road in front of us. Then I let out a concerned mommy voice that scared Hunter when I asked if the children were okay. He was trembling. Brady pulled over a bit to check out the car and when Hunter saw Brady get out, he trembled even more. Hailey could have cared less even though she knew we stopped pretty hard. She didn't get the lovely picture view of us smashing a deer. She was more concerned about her ladybug she found a few minutes prior and wanted to go put it in a jar at the lakehouse. Then a young boy who was behind us pulled up and checked on us. He was hyper and wanted to know what to do in that situation. Guess he has never seen that happen before! The Yukon will need some damage repair to the turning signal and plastic grill. Smokey and Brady pulled the bumper away from tire so it wouldn't rub and zip tied all the loose parts together. But other than that, the Yukon did what it should have done and we are fortunate to be safe and drive it away. If we had been in my car, that deer would have wound up in the window and I know the outcome would have been totally different.

Brady and I briefly talked about the movie the Curious Life of Benjamin Button and went through our whole night and a series of events:

- If only we hadn't stopped in Edmond for gas and let Hailey go in with Brady to pick out snacks for us all.

- If only I didn't want to stop at Walmart and buy a pair of cheap $11 dollar white tennis shoes because I forgot to pack my Tretorns and was wearing black crocs (which are so comfortable but I think look funny on adults in public. Kids don't count. They always look cute in them.) 

- If only I didn't want to buy film at Walmart for the digital camcorder and batteries for the flashlight or heard my phone ringing to find out that Brady had bring in the children so Hailey could use the restroom.

- If only we hadn't stopped off at McDonalds for late night munchies and drinks.

THEN that deer probably wouldn't have been there at that particular time crossing the road and we would not have smashed into her with the car. 

OR if I would have been driving. Then we obviously would have been there later and the deer would have had plenty of time to cross the road as I drive like a turtle sometimes!

But then Hailey would not have found a lucky lady bug who probably flew into our car when the windows were down at McDonalds and she would not have had the chance to hand the lady the debit card and receive our items all on our own - which made her beam in delight!

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Here are a few pictures but you really can't tell much. The Yukon is a pretty tough vehicle apparently! I am thankful we were all okay and I know some angels were watching over us. 

* In the morning, Smokey did find a dead bird behind the grill and I think 2 butterflies that had been there for some time too. In the dark, we thought it was a chunk of deer. Funny!