God's Fire Drill

Our family has decided that we would call this hurricane experience 

God's Fire Drill. 

We have gotten a chance to see if  we were prepared and to see if I was strong enough to do this on my own. 

And I am proud to announce, we were prepared and we did it with out Rob. 

As of this moment Rob is still not home, 

but will be here in a couple of hours. He has been gone since Tuesday of last week. He got to miss this whole horrific event and now a week later most of the mess in our area is cleaned up. 

We still have lines for gas and our grocery stores are running on generators but at least we are able to get some cold food and today we actually got to go out and eat at KFC. Not my choice, but it was good.

We got our electricity yesterday. We have eaten plenty of snack food and Ramon and did not even have to break into any of our real food storage.

Each night the kids and I had scripture study by candle light, which was really cool. During this time we have been making a list of things that we would do differently or need if this ever happens again, besides ice cream for Victoria and chocolate milk for Isabella.

Each of the kids decided that when they grow up and have a house they will defiantly have a house with a gas burning stove, gas water heater, and a land phone line. 

These 3 things have been such a blessing to our family and several neighbors.

After last nights reflection of the last week we have decided that besides Marshall being exhausted from being the only man in our house and the one everyone on our street asked for help and my major emotional breakdown on Monday (after cleaning 3 freezers and floors from blood and raw meat for most of the day) WE ARE OKAY and EXHAUSTED.

School is still out till at least Sept 25th. At least we will have time to rest before the kids get back to their hard work at school.

I do want to make sure that I make some shout outs to my very very special children for helping us make it through this and create some great family memories.

Marshall - you are AWESOME. I am so PROUD of the man that you are becoming and you are such a great example to your sisters on what kind of men they should choose to be a part of their families. Never be afraid to have feelings and to love unconditional.

Victoria - you make everything so fun and find the joy in everything. You help me remember what life is supposed to be like.

Isabella - you make me laugh because you are always on the go for an adventure.

I love each of you so much and I am so proud to be your mom.

Last but not least, Katherine Chapman, that I should owe more money than the bank holds. This week she has rescued me by taking the girls to entertain just so I could cry or sleep or clean. Who has snuck ice from her families supply when I was out for 2 days, who used her own money to buy Isabella a gallon of milk and chocolate for chocolate milk, and at 11pm brought me a soda and a cup of ice (the first I have had all week) when she heard I was having a hard time. Thank you. I love you like my own.

All the streets around us had trees over them so we could not drive off our street so we decided to go for a walk.

After the storm Victoria got to rescue a bird. He looked dead when she picked it up. But she knew about using a towel and rubbing its body (kinda like CPR for a bird). It must of just been dazed because it got on its feet and stayed in her hands for a while, then chirped, flew to her shoulder, chirped again and flew into the tree. She was so excited.

Nice mailboxes. No bills for a while. YEA......