that one time my window exploded.

Meet Sylvia. My usually trusty Toyota Corolla.

Behold, Sylvia.

We've shared some good times (and bad times, but mostly good times) together the last 38,000 miles.

Today was a combination of both good and bad times.

This morning I left the wonderful land of Rexburg, Idaho to do a campus visit at Utah State University in Logan, Utah.

I had just arrived in the outskirts of Logan while singing Keith Urban very loudly, when I heard a weird cracking noise. I assumed it was just the glove box snapping shut and that maybe I hadn't shut it all the way when I had opened it earlier.
Boy, oh, boy was I wrong. Big time.

About thirty seconds later I heard a combination of cracking and shattering noises. So, I looked to my right and saw that the front passenger window had completely shattered into tiny little pieces, but was still in place.

(The jury is still out on if it was my lovely melodic voice, a chip in the window, or a stress fracture that caused the window to shatter.)

Naturally, I screamed.
And this was not just a little yelp, but a scream; a real scream.

So I quickly grabbed my phone and called my dad. Here is a little snippet of how our conversation went.

Me: "Dad, something very, very bad has happened and I don't know how." (trying real hard not to hyperventilate).

Dad: ". . . . . . . what. . . .?"

Me: "I was just driving along and the passenger window just shattered, like shattered."

Dad: "Okay, you need to pull over and. . . . "

Me: I'm in the middle of nowhere and there isn't anywhere I can pull over! **Cue explosion of window and glass pieces flying EVERYWHERE** "Oh no, oh no, oh no. It just exploded everywhere! WHAT DO I DO?!?!?" (I wish someone had gotten a picture of my face when this happened, because I can't even imagine what I looked like). 

EVERYWHERE. (And this was after I had picked most of it up).

Everywhere means everywhere, folks. All over me, the back seat, under the seats, all over the floor. . . EVERYWHERE.

Dad: "Well, I'm not surprised. You need to pull over as soon as you can. Find a gas station or something and see if they can help you. Buy some plastic and some duct tape and wrap it up. Are you okay?"

Me: "Okay, okay, okay. Umm. . . I think so."

We talked a little bit more, and then finally there was a magical gas station. I tried to compose myself before going into the gas station by eating a few jelly beans.
We're not sure if that worked or not. . . . . 

Behold! Gas station and missing window! 

The nice man at the counter gave me a roll of saran wrap and some duct tape.
Note : I had about 30 minutes until I was supposed to be on campus for the tour.

So, I frantically walked back out to my car to begin the oh so classy saran wrap repair.

Cue tender mercy number one.

A nice man had parked next to my car and asked me if I needed help and if I was from out of town. I tried to remain composed and responded yes. (I have no idea how he could tell I was from out of town. . . .Was it the frazzled look on my face, the hyperventilating??) He then informed me that he had a shop just down the road and he would have some better plastic and could help me clean up all the glass.
So I got in my car and followed him to his shop.

While on the way to his shop I may or may not have had a mini freak out thinking that he was a rapist/murderer and this was going to be my impending doom and imminent death. 

We arrived at his shop and began the clean up and wrapping process. He then told me that he had daughters my age and he could only hope that if something like this happened to one of them, that someone would be kind enough to help them. Adios rapist, hello good Samaritan. Such a tender heart.

While I tried to pick up the big glass pieces with my bare hands,

Behold, glass pieces.

the good Samaritan called a glass/window place in Logan to see if they could fix the window that day. He put me on the phone and I told the nice lady at the glass place Sylvia's model/year. She told me they could order in the window from Salt Lake and have it there by 2:30 and it would take about 3 hours to fix it. Perfecto! So they put it on order, we finished the classy plastic "window,"

Behold, classy plastic "window."

I thanked the good Samaritan for his help, and off I went to USU for the campus visit. . . only 15 minutes late! Oops.

So I went on the campus tour, met with an advisor in my department, and then hung out with my lovely friend, Justin. We dropped off my car, went to lunch, and were at his apartment when I got a call from the glass place. . . . .

THEY ORDERED THE WRONG WINDOW AND WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE RIGHT ONE UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING.

Well. . . . that put a damper on things, but I was trying to just laugh it off.

So while I was on the phone with my dad trying to figure out a plan, Justin called a glass place in Rexburg to see if they would be able to fix it the next morning. Success! They could have the window delivered overnight and fix it the next day (Friday), and for $40 cheaper! Tender mercy number two.

KEEP READING. 
I know this is long, but I pinky promise there is a purpose. 
KEEP READING.

So we picked up my car from the glass place in Logan and went back to Justin's apartment for a while, had a lovely time, and then I had to leave to go back to Rexico.

I had been driving for about an hour when the classy plastic "window" began to come apart and fall off. And it just so happened that I was in the absolute middle of nowhere with nothing in sight. Seriously, nothing. I had no tape, no more plastic, and no more patience. Afraid that the plastic would completely rip off, I cruised down the 15 at 50 mph in a 75mph zone  with the emergency flashers on, freezing my face off even with the heat on full blast, and praying my heart out that I would not die, until about 30 miles later there was finally a glorious gas station that was open (tender mercy number three). I called my dad to let him know what happened, scurried inside, bought some duct tape, and a diet coke,  and the nice lady gave me a garbage bag in case I needed more plastic to cover the window. She was so nice (tender mercy number four).

Cue tender mercy numbers five and six.

While maybe going a teensy bit overboard with the duct tape, a nice man came over and said,
"I know you don't know me, but do you need any help? What happened?" (Tender mercy number five).

So I explained what happened, he sympathized, and told me just to make sure to tape it really tight so it wouldn't come up anymore. I thanked him for his help and he was on his way.

Five minutes later, another nice man pulled up and asked me if I needed help with anything at all; food, a blanket, more tape (tender mercy number six).

I told him I had just finished taping and I was fine, but was very grateful for his help and concern. He left, and I got back in my car, called my dad to tell him I had fixed it and I was still alive, and then I got back on the road.

For the next two hours, I was tempted to wallow in self-pity about all the things that had gone wrong that day, and how stressed I was with deciding where to go to school, but instead I just drove and thought of all the things that had gone right that day and all the things I was grateful for.

I had clothes, a coat, a blanket, a car that still worked, Jolly Rancher jelly beans and Swedish Fish, carrots and apples, a diet coke, heat in the car, three+ strangers that offered to help me, Justin, an amazing day at USU and in Logan, amazing parents that keep me sane and calm when I panic, family, the gospel, a phone that was charged, a Heavenly Father that loves me and knows me, wonderful friends and roommates, and so many other things that I could go on forever and ever about.

I realized that sometimes when it seems like the odds are NOT in our favor (thank you Hunger Games), it's a good thing. Sometimes life just needs to smack us in the face and remind us of what's really important. 


1 Nephi 2:11-- "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." 

Who cares that my window shattered, who cares that I'm a poor college student, who cares that I had to drive three hours with a makeshift plastic window thundering in the wind, who cares that I froze my face off driving without a window, who cares that my car looks super ghetto right now?

Behold, my super getto car.

Because in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter, does it?

I'm alive! I'm healthy! I have a wonderful family! I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I have a Heavenly Father that loves me! A Savior that sacrificed His life for me! Clothes, food, blankets, friends, random kind strangers, no glass in my eyes, etc!!

What else do I really need?  Besides some chocolate. 

Nothing. Nothing at all.

So. . . .brace yourselves for Philosophical Lessons by Kirsten:
(I hereby give you permission to quote these in everyday life).

Lesson number one: No matter the circumstances, Diet Coke, Jolly Rancher jelly beans and Swedish Fish will always make you feel better. Always.

Lesson number two: Remember, when life slaps, punches, toots, curb stomps, explodes, and/or kicks you in the face, laugh about it and remember all the wonderful things you have.

Because despite all the craziness, life is wonderful. It really is.

Lesson number three: Tender mercies are everywhere, sometimes you just need the faith to look for them.

1 Nephi 1:20-- "But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."

It's true. Look around! We have much to be grateful for!


And now, as a reward for making it through this entire lengthy post, here is a little video of my most recent favorite song. It's so cute, happy, and the harmonies are just lovely.
P.S. The people singing this song are married, which makes it all the more lovely.

Enjoy, and remember, life is wonderful. Smile!

Cliche?
Yes.
Sorry I'm not sorry.

Happy Friday! 

Love, Kir.