We made it through the storm!

Helloo everyone! We are safe, sound (well that's questionable but has nothing to do with this past week's events), and back online! I just spoke with my dad not 45 minutes ago and told him that we are doing ok but that our phone and internet were still not working. I hung up with him and decided to try to reboot the modem one more time today and voila! It works now!!!

Here are some videos and pics from during and after the storm. Not something I ever want to experience again. Think of the worst tornato/thunder storm you can remember and then go through it for 8+ hours. It seemed like that night would never end. Everything in our house was shaking (people, pets, and objects included). Here are the down and dirty details:

*Schools are closed this week. We are going back next week, IF-the schools have power. To date, my school is still without power but now does have water. Over 1 million customers in the Houston area are sitll without power.

*We were so fortunate in our houe. We lost some fences and shingles. On Saturday we had no power and no water. Saturday evening we got water back. Sunday we got power back. It's good to be on the same grid as the utility district!

*Many of our friends had extensive damage to their homes and are still without power. We also have friends that lost their homes completely. I am rethinking my dream of owning a beach house someday for my retirement.

*Gas is a hot commodity. Lines can be 30 minutes to 2 hours long. This is due to the fact that most gas stations don't have power so the pumps don't work.

*The kids and I drove 30 minutes yesterday so we could get meat and milk at a grocery store.

*People in the Houston/Galveston/Texas Gulf Coast area are some of the hardest working, most resilient, community oriented people I have ever met. All I can say is WOW!

*I saw on the news that Red Cross workers from Mankato Minnesota are here to help. Do you think they brought any lefsa because I have really been craving that stuff lately. Must be homesickness.

Some friends of ours came over the other evening. They are still without power. So, we had some ice cold sodas and water as well as great fellowship. James has a theory and I think he may be right. We have lots of fences around here. He said if you lost your fences it is because God wants you to get to know your neighbors better. We have been able to put names to many of the faces in our community that we did't know very well because of this. People have been out in their yards cleaning up and chatting with each other. With no TV, cable, and internet we have had to find other things to do. Getting to know our neighbors has been a pleasant by product of all of this.

Thank you all for your prayers and concern. I have been asked by many what they can do to help. Our family is doing just fine. We have all that we need. I would suggest and ask that if you would like to help, that you please make a donation to your local Red Cross. Those people are AMAZING!

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