id was very...fragmented. I was really excited for the few days prior to it...did lots of shopping and played the part of Santa. In the past I enjoyed doing the house-hopping thing a lot. Seeing everyone on Eid is always the primary objective, but this is the last time that will happen. I am not Hermione Granger.

Chand raat was spent making sivvaiyan (and failing miserably, although that is left up to interpretation) and falooda for the last iftar of the month. The remainder was spent pigging out at Zyka with S^2. Eid morning went to see the nephews. Since bhabi's family was there it was a bit awkward being reminded of...everything. But they were nice. Kids get the darndest ideas, especially when they're mad. Who would have thought that sitting in a fridge would be a way to vent anger? It makes sense though...gives you time to cool down physically and mentally. More power to you, little one.

Went home, packed, then to Intermezzo for brunch with S^3. It was beautiful sitting on the porch outside with rain pouring all around. The food/company/conversation didn't hurt either.

The drive to TN was...scary. I knew it would rain, but I didn't know God had such a fabulous sense of humor that he'd make it rain during the most dangerous parts of the drive. Thanks, that was funny. TN itself was fun. It's always nice to see everyone, but also bitter-sweet to see everyone so grown up.

The drive back, again, was scary. This time it wasn't during the worst parts, but during the easier parts where rain poured down the worst. The entire time I was alert and concentrating on the road. Regardless, with 30 min left to get home the car fishtailed on the highway with cars zooming by me. I was in the farthest left lane going with the flow of traffic (which wasn't that fast to begin with, since I was side by side with a truck). The car hydroplaned and swerved left, so I gingerly turned the wheel right. When I did that, the car swerved right and that's when I realized I didn't have control over what was happening. For the past 3 hours I kept thinking about not getting into an accident, and here it was about to happen. All I could do at that point was scream "No!" over and over again as I looked out my windsheild and saw a giant semi coming towards me.

People say when you're faced with death that your life passes before your eyes. That didn't happen to me because I was too busy sort of watching death about to happen. I don't know how it happened or what I did to deserve it, but I didn't hit anyone during my 180 degree swerve. The truck that I saw coming towards me stopped in time. When the realization hit that I was ok I just didn't know what to do. For some reason the battery light came on and I couldn't start my car. So I sat there staring at the truck, waving at him to remind him not to keep driving as if he'd somehow forget and run over me. Luckily a lady in a white car drove up next to me and calmed me down. Walked me through what to do...

"Are you hurt? It's ok honey...turn off your car, call 911. You're fine, everything's ok."
I dont know what to do. The car won't start.
"It's ok, call 911."
I realize how lucky I am and I start crying.

911 didn't answer. They didn't answer the first time or the second. But I guess someone else called them because within a minute an ambulance was there. The guy said my car engine may have flooded...whatever that means. Asked me if I was ok. I thought about if anything hurt or felt weird. The only thing that I noticed were sore vocal chords from all my screaming. He told me I was lucky...he wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. They told me to start my car again, and it did. They stopped 5 lanes of traffic so I could turn around and go home.

The rest of the way I just bawled in a way I didn't recognize. I didn't stop again because I just wanted to go home. After 15 min, I calmed myself down enough to call Shubin, but then I started bawling again. Decided not to call my mom yet or else she'd get worried. 285 was backed up from all the flooding/road closings, so it took another 45 min to get home. Shub met me there and calmed me down. Watched Monsters vs. Aliens and he made me spagetti and Kool Aid.

Spent the rest of the night watching the news and realizing that what I went through was nothing. People lost their homes, cars and family members that day. I was lucky and came out with nothing but a feeling of how lucky I was.