Blessings...

Let me start by saying Megan gave me permission to share their picture. As everyone knows we all left almost 2 weeks ago in preparation of Hurricane IKE. I will be honest...I had a "bad " feeling in my stomach as we packed this time...but I still did not think we were going to be affected to this magnitude.

I left with the thought of another "Hurri-cation" (thank you Wendi for letting me "borrow" your phrase) Scott & I actually waited until the end of the day to make a move...this time they already called a mandatory evacuation and we were taking our time getting the office & house together. We did not head to Riesel this time because we remembered what it was like traveling that direction during Rita when the Galveston/Houston area was evacuated as well. So we decided that evening to head north to a "pet-friendly" hotel in Plano. We left at about 6pm that evening and arrived at the hotel at about 12:30 a.m.

We stayed at the the hotel with A LOT of the Golden Triangle. It was actually very comforting to see so many familiar faces. We spent most of our time with the Williams family and this made a "not-so-fun" situation bearable.

On Friday we watched THE WEATHER CHANNEL as they showed shots from Galveston & Lousiana as the water was already coming TOO CLOSE. All I kept thinking is "the storm is not even here yet." We stayed up as late as we could visiting...then kept the weather channel on all night praying that the levee would hold in Port Arthur.

I spent most of the night awake watching the tv and praying that Dwayne was safe in Houston and Scott's family was safe in Liberty. I knew A LOT of our friends in the area stayed for the storm...and I was having a very difficult time sleeping.

The next morning we spent a lot of time "borrowing" the Williams laptop and trying to "see, read, or hear" anything we could. When I heard that Bridge City & a lot of Orange was under water my heart sank. LONGER STORY short...we found out that the Port Arthur levee made it...and our area (that we call MidCounty) had minimal damage in comparison to everything around us.

We heard from all of our friends & family...and although some of the stories were "awful" everyone was OK...just NO POWER.

Sunday morning Scott & Jess (& Trigger) drove home to assess the damage and clean out fridge & freezers. Around noon I followed Kendal to Toledo Bend. We were told by a neighbor that we had power there and that is only 1 1/2 hours from our home so we headed that direction. Vicki & Kaden traveled with me, Tyson, & Putter. Poor Kaden had just been to the clinic and had a 103 fever...and my Expedition started making a "bad noise." We got to the lake only to find that we did NOT have power...so I followed Kendal back to their place and spent the night with their family.

The next day Scott came to the lake with 60 gallons of gas, a freezer chest, ice chest, lots of beverages, Kaden's 4 wheeler, & Tyson's walker bungeed to the truck. LOL...I do have a picture of this in the slideshow to the right.

God blessed us with BEAUTIFUL weather...we opened up the windows in the lakehouse and slept to the "hum" of a generator. Scott took my Expedition to a dealership in Leeseville, Lousiana...and "longer story" short I am now the proud owner of a Toyota Sequoia. (LONG STORY...bad timing...but BEST decision) I didn't DRIVE the car for a while...because

A. I did not have anywhere to "go" and

B. gas was needed to "run" the house. :)

We got power back at the lake on Wednesday...and we spent time visiting with the Williams, cleaning up the property, and EATING good food from the freezer Scott carried in the bed of the truck. Yea, we never unloaded it...we just plugged it in wherever we went.

Friday morning I got a text from a very good friend in Port Neches who told me they just got power...Scott called the office and the answering machine came on. We live about 2 minutes from the office so we were VERY excited. Scott went home...NO POWER...he stayed at the house with a generator and we stayed at the lake with power. Scott opened the office on Friday and kept it open on Sat to see emergent patients.

By Sunday, Tyson and I had enough....and we packed it up to come home...before we left...I was "watching" KLVI radio station on the NBC news and I heard that most of Port Neches & Groves was "up" with power over night so I called Scott. He went outside to check again...and WE HAD POWER!! woohoo...(not that we were not coming home anyway)...POWER IS GOOD!!!

So we have spent the last few days getting the house cleaned up & organized...we have had friends over to eat in the evenings (still as I type on Wednesday people do not have power)...and now our family is growing. NO I AM NOT PREGNANT...

This brings me to the picture at the top of my "forever long" story...In the photo you can see what is left of MeMe & Adi's (Adam) home in Johnson's Bayou. This is in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. MeMe (Megan) is Tyson's nanny. We have been blessed with MeMe since I returned to work after maternity leave. She took care of Tyson EVERYDAY while I went to work and finished the school year. During the summer MeMe stayed with us a few days a week and she just enrolled at Lamar University in Beaumont so she still comes to "love on" and "play" with Tyson whenever she can during the week. WE ALL LOVE MeMe & Adi!!!

So now we are a family of four adults...1 fat baby...2 dogs (maybe 3 if they bring Ginger). MeMe & Adi are planning on staying with us...we say for as long as they need or want to. From what I understand 90% of Johnson's Bayou is "gone." They are precious and taking it one day at a time. We a VERY happy that they are here.

I could share story after story with you about friends who have been affected by the storm & even through the storm if they stayed.

Between the surge, 13 hours of hurricane winds, and tornados many communities around us are devastated. Why God chose to spare MidCounty I do not know...but don't get me wrong I AM SO THANKFUL! we are thankful for our home...our community....the volunteers...YES! FEMA...electricity...ICE...hot water...(I could do this all day long)

"Thank you for protecting our friends & family." We all have a long road ahead of us...but we are BLESSED beyond measure. (another friend just text..."WE HAVE POWER") God is good!!