fireworks are fun . . .right?!

So I mentioned I saw my life flash before my eyes this weekend? It's true. Let me share . . .

I've always considered fireworks to be a fun part of summer. I always "oohed" and "ahhed" with the best of them and would merrily go on my way home afterwards. That was not quite the case this past saturday night.

During the summer, every saturday night there is a fireworks display after the tiger's game that is set off on the field. All the lights of the stadium are turned off and it really is a fun event. Here's my poor attempt of capturing the show for you all (I know, you "real" photographers out there are probably cringing!).

(this is where YOU "ooh" and "ahh")
But look a little closer at this next picture. Towards the top right you can see the path of a firework curving around? It's an exciting new type of fireworks that does "curly q's" in the sky before extinguishing. I thought they were fun and different . . .at first.
About 5 minutes into the fireworks, one of these "curly q's' (Dont' you love my technical names!?!?!) went hay wire. It did one circle and then proceeded to shoot (fully lit and burning) sideways into the stands barely 20 feet away from where we were sitting. There was no time to react. No time to move. It hit one girl in the head before then hitting another man nearby in the side and then died (the firework that is it). I've never had such a pit in my stomach. It's one of those times that you see something but still don't believe what you saw!!

You hear fireworks are dangerous. You know it. But truly - it's kind of one of those things you hear but kind of brush off in the excitement of them. The girl was rushed off in an ambulance and we never saw what then happened with the man because they cleared out everyone in our section of seats for the remainder of the fireworks (no one was volunteering to run on the field and pull the plugs with the fireworks going off).

I haven't heard or read anything in the papers since then but I just keep praying that both people weren't injured in a life-altering (or ending!) way.

Every 4th of July my family goes to a big outdoor concert in Michigan put on by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Army Band and Choir. It's outside. It's patriotic. It's great time with family and friends. It's one of my favorite family traditions. THERE"S FIREWORKS.

Now granted, the fireworks are shot off at least a half mile away. But I have a feeling this year, I may not "ooh" and "ahh" quite so easily. I'll probably still "ohh" and "ahh" for the really exciting ones. Yet I'll also probably hold Ava a little closer. And I'll probably breathe a small sigh of relief when it's all said and done.