Hurrican Ike

We knew on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008 that Hurricane Ike was headed our way. However, with past experiences no one really believed it, and a "category 2" didn't seem that bad (how wrong we all were).

Thursday morning everything was still normal. Life was normal. School was normal. Then about 10:15 am things began to change.

• Our school district posted on the school website that we would be closed on Friday. Upon learning this news the students cheered (I don't think this was the vacation they thought it would be).
• My husband texted me about 10:35 a.m. telling me that I might want to call my parents about going to stay with them. I texted back and said that the boys and I would be staying. As long as we had supplies we would be fine.
• About 10:50 a.m. Dustin texted back and said, "You are going. Call your parents!"
• I called my daddy a little after 11 a.m. - believe it or not he was in the area. He was so sweet to stay and wait for us when he could have gotten home hours earlier.
• School ended at the normal time but it was not a normal day after the news spread about no school and a possible direct hit from the hurricane.
• I went straight home after school. My dad was waiting for us when I got home. The boys and I grabbed what we thought we needed and we got on the road around 4:40 p.m.
• The drive wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it was still the longest it had ever taken me to get to D/FW. We left at 4:40 p.m and arrived to my parents at midnight. Normally we would have arrived about 8:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• My mom and I stay up talking and enjoying each other's company until 5 a.m.

My cell phone was my constant companion. I was texting my husband, coworkers, and friends continually keeping up with where people were, how people were, etc... A cable news network partnered with Channel 11 news in Houston and we were able to watch nonstop coverage from beginning and beyond. I stayed up most of Friday night watching as the storm came in. I was able to watch the satellite images and text Dustin to let him know where the eye was since he and most everyone else in the area had lost power.

Watching the aftermath was unbelievable. My heart sank for those who lost so much.

The boys and I were so blessed to be in a safe, secure home with family, electricity, air-conditioning, food, comfy bedding, etc... Our whole family was blessed to be in the middle of the chaotic housing situation that we have been in; we had no home to worry about. After the storm we learned that the home that our contract is on was completely fine.

Dustin told us that as long as there was no electricity we needed to stay with my family. He called Tuesday night around 11:10 p.m. and said our electricity had just been restored. We got up early Wednesday morning to head back home. My sweet daddy took another day off work and drove all the way to down with us to help us transfer the supplies we bought to take back and to make sure we got home safely. Then he turned around and drove all the way back home.

It was so good to get home.