Kids' Seat #1

Well, our two kids' seats for our bike are done, as seen previously. Our friends Lois and Jesse, who were the inspiration for us getting our bike, wanted one of our kids' seats also. So Tray and I got started on it. I just applied the first coat of stain, and it's already looking beautiful!


Unfortunately, I had a bad experience on my first ride with the girls. Last Friday, we headed out for a joyride. As I was crossing a really busy intersection, I shifted the gears in a way that made the bike very upset, and the chain locked. I couldn't pedal, and I didn't have enough oomf to get through the intersection. I had to get off the bike quickly, and walk it to the other side. Well, easier said than done with a very rear-heavy bike. I lost control of the bike in my stressed out state, and the girls and the bike started toppling over. I started freaking out as the light was changing in the 4 lane street, with me in the middle. A Good Samaritan in a huge pickup truck quickly pulled up, jumped out, helped me right the bike, and walked it with me to the curb, stopping traffic as we went. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me with the kids. I got scratched up, but the girls were miraculously unscathed. I was shaking, freaking out, and crying. I called Tray at work and said, "I never want to ride this bike again, I am so pissed and scared."
Thankfully, I was able to get the chain moving again (it was just my mis-shifting error, I really should NOT have ridden the bike without being completely comfortable with the shifters). I am grateful for God's grace, in not only keeping us all three (four) safe, but also providing someone who stepped in to get us to safety. I was NOT alone. I felt so foolish, and so humbled, and so terrible that my foolishness had involved my children's safety. Thankfully, I talked it out with the girls and apologized, and expected them to never want to ride the bike again. Well, they forgave me and said they weren't hurt, and that mommy just needs to get better at riding the bike before I take them out again.
I'm grateful.