Miracles

We had a miracle occur in our family last weekend.  It was during our drive to Utah.  We had just passed Lake Powell and I was driving (GAH!).  It will sound cheesy, but I reached over to hold Brandon's hand and I smiled at him.  It was only a few seconds but it distracted me just long enough that when I looked up we were almost going off the road.  I swerved back onto the road and was looking in my rear-view mirror to make sure there wasn't anyone behind me, which there wasn't.  While looking back I noticed the bikes (which we'd strapped on at the last minute at Brandon's parents house).  They were held on with an old rack that his dad had.  On the rack was Brandon's mountain bike, Daxton's bike (not his new one, thankfully), and Grady's little Tonka bike.  They were swinging.  Then I looked back at the road, and was going into the oncoming traffic.  I swerved back into my lane and again looked in my mirror to check on the bikes.  I saw them fall of the van and bounce, bounce, bounce, until they landed off the side of the road, in the brush.  I got my attention back on the road in front of me and got control of the car.  I pulled off and Brandon (who was understandably freaking out) said something to the effect of, "OK, well no one got hurt."  I looked over at him and said, "the bikes."  He'd totally forgotten about them and hadn't noticed that there was a problem back there.  He got out of the car and ran back to assess the damage.  I sat and tried to stop shaking.  When I got control of myself I turned and drove back to be closer to where the bikes were.
The damage to Brandon's bike is great.  He has/had a really nice Specialized mountain bike that had just been into the shop for a tune-up so it would be ready to ride when we got up here.  As we've price out what the replacement parts would cost, it might be more worth it to just buy a new bike.  I felt so horrible about the whole situation.  As we untangled the bikes (Daxton's just had a broken rim and tire, Grady's is indestructible and had no damage), we discovered that the rack was in one piece.  When we went to put everything back on the car, however, we discovered that one strap that holds it on the car had snapped.  It ripped apart and that probably caused the bikes to come off the car, instead of just swinging back and fourth.
So, here's where the miracles come in.
It is a miracle that there was no one behind us to get hit by the bundle of bicycles.
It is a miracle that the bikes didn't stay in the road, and thus pose a hazard to anyone coming behind us.
It is a miracle that there was no one in the oncoming traffic.
It is a miracle that my mom MADE me get new tires before we left, even though I DID NOT have time and it was NOT convenient.
It is a miracle that our car didn't blow a tire and flip.

I felt SO watched over and blessed.  I still do.  Brandon's bike is the only real casualty.  I think we both realize that this was the best possible scenario.  The bike can be replaced (even if it's a huge expense) and the most important thing is that we were all safe as can be, and able to continue on our journey.

I do have to add that Daxton kept asking if we could tell people we were almost killed.  He even wanted to write a note to his class in Arizona and tell them that he almost died.  : )