The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

My brother and his lovely wife gave me a niece today.

The new family:

AB was born September 28, 2008 in the afternoon. She is 7 lbs, 6 ounces, and 21.75 inches long. She was born by cesarean section after a loooong labor by one tough mama (and her tough birth coach.)

I drove like a crazy woman, leaving here Saturday night late, and returning home exactly 24 hours and 42 minutes later. I didn't sleep much. But I did get to do this before I left:

So, thanks, to the wonderful friends who kept me company while driving by myself on the lonely highway, even into the wee hours of the night. Thanks to the makers of Dr. Pepper who allowed me to stay awake on the way home. Thanks to the NewsBoys, whose music played at top volume makes my ears ring and the time go by faster. And thanks to my brother and his wife for letting me get to be there for this wonderful occasion. It means alot to me.

And one more picture to make your heart melt before you click to someone else's blog. At least, it made my heart melt:

What we do when we're bored at work.

The guy on the left is my boss. MY BOSS.

We really need patients here. Come to the doctor please. The head bands are from the Lord of the Flies children in our kitchen. We all have them. The headbands, not the children.

Working with Ike

So today I'm working. Obviously not too hard, because I am writing on this blog. It's amazing to live in post-Ike. It's also amazing how quickly people become adapted to a new normal. Last night it got dark and I went to get a flashlight, even though our power was on. I had forgotten that our light switches worked again. It was dark, that means time for bed because there is nothing else to do. It will probably take a few days to get used to power again. The human spirit is resilient, and our brains are remarkably forgetful. At least mine is!

We were very blessed to make it through this terrible storm with our house mostly intact. And our yard was pretty much okay. I had a friend accuse me of cleaning my yard before I took a photo. We did have damage, but the plants are mostly okay. Two or three plants were uprooted. We staked them back down. They'll make it.

We are very blessed to have power back so early.

We are very blessed to have gorgeous weather this week. Low heat and low humidity; who can ask for more!

We are very blessed to have plenty of bottled water right now. We have our regular hurricane stash that we always have on hand this time of year, as well as plenty of bottles of water.

We are very blessed to have plenty of food to eat right now. Again, we have our regular hurricane stores of food, and the refrigerator was full of food. That may seem like a bad thing, but the office had power before we did, and we took our food to work and put it in the fridge here. Our pantry is overflowing.

We are very blessed to be working now. My office is open now, and we're seeing patients. Jeremy's part time gig is open now, and he's there helping them today.

We are blessed to be in a safe neighborhood, where, although we did sleep with the gun next to the bed one night, we didn't need it. There are still police everywhere.

We are blessed to know that our gas tanks are still quite full for the time being, and we don't have to wait in line for fuel. We still have several full cans in the garage, for when we start getting low.

We are blessed to know that when it was so hot and my dog had stopped eating and drinking because of the heat, we (and she) were welcome at a strangers home for the night for a hot shower and hot meal, cold air conditioning and cold refrigerators. We really needed that to recharge our batteries, and get her rehydrated.

We are blessed to have a water heater and oven that is gas powered so while we cannot drink the water, we can bathe in it, and allow the hot water to soothe our aching muscles.

We are blessed to know we still have the physical ability to clean yards that need it. I was wondering if my body could still do this kind of manual labor, and I can. Muscles are definitely complaining, and I have several new blisters to show for my efforts, but yards are clean and I was able to help those who needed it.

We are blessed with friends who will ask for help when they need it.

We are blessed with friends to work by our side as we clean.

We are blessed coming through this together as a family.

I am working in strange conditions. We have x-ray, but no lab. We aren't taking appointments, only walk-ins. Tetanus shots for everyone, including my sweet husband, who got his today. His injury included being bitten by our big cat, and now it's infected. The cat didn't do too well with the storm. Half of our staff has power at home, half doesn't. We're all a little distracted, and there are two single moms who nobody has heard from. I had to treat a guy today for broken collar bone, and I didn't have a DME store open for a brace for him. So I fashioned a figure eight brace out of ace wraps. For those whose eyes glazed over at that sentence, it's impressive, let me assure you. There aren't many places open for prescriptions to be filled. And, of course, I don't have a nurse. That pretty much goes without saying. Since all the schools are closed, the children of our employees are in the kitchen, and have turned it into a kind of pseudo-daycare. The portable DVD is fired up with free Willy, and they're cleaning out the ice cream that's left in the freezer. They set up rules for each other, and they posted them on the refrigerator. It's very Lord of the Flies. With minimal grown up supervising.

So there you go. We're very blessed and keep reminding ourselves that while it's mostly over for us for now, there are many people for whom this is just beginning. Please continue to keep those in your prayers. And thank you for your continuing prayers on our behalf. We really do appreciate it.

More Photos

I'm home. We have had power for about 36 hours now. Funny, going for 40 hours without electricity really makes you love your AC. Which we haven't turned on yet. It's really, really nice outside right now, so we're taking advantage of it.

Here are a few more pictures of our neighborhood with house damage.

McK House

I think there was a tornado in their backyard/neighborhood. One of the limbs that was down in the back there was twisted in a circle before it snapped. One of their neighbors heard two tornados during the hurricane.

Im House

The back gate Pappa said needed a little fixing was hanging on by 1/2 a hinge. Jeremy took it off entirely and laid it on the ground.

Pa House

Sh House -

Apparently they also had water damage inside their house. They will have to replace their wood floors for the 3rd time, and I am sure they're excited about that. A's play house is on it's side. It's not really usable now, but hopefully will be as soon as they get a little cleaned up.

Sm House - gutter damage

Check out her blog here to see what else she had going on. Pray for her and their clean up tasks. They have alot in front of them.

My House - here's how we could see what was going on. Shine a flashlight through the gap and see what's going on in the little corner of my yard we could see.

This was a photo of the last of the storm. It was taken about 7:00 AM in tropical storm conditions, after we unboarded the back door. We could see the banana trees out the back fence through the night. They bent in half during the night, so we could see the top of the fence when the wind blew hard, and when the wind let up, we could see the banana trees lift a little. That was our wind gauge.

This is generally how my neighborhood looked on Saturday AM. Many trees down, most fences down. A few roofs damaged in the front part of the subdivision.

Church Sunday AM

It was raining pretty hard, but there were a few of us there. We had church outside because there was no AC or power, so we were under a breeze way. It was very surreal. We sang songs we all knew because we didn't want to get song books. We had communion on our brass plates, and some optimistic soul passed the offering plate. People wore whatever they had. Jeremy couldn't even think of wearing shorts to Sunday AM church, so he wore jeans. We did have to wade a little to get through the parking lot, because the drains had gotten clogged with debris.

The Impact Center had some roof damage. But no fire damage from the funeral home next door.

Neighborhoods on Saturday AM. They look MUCH BETTER now, with the streets passable.

Sorry, Heather. I know you're anxious about your home. I wasn't able to get to it over the last few days. I hope you're able to get information on your house.

More later.

Photos

I am on a dial up connection and it is taking me forever to upload photos, but I know you're interested to know what your house looks like. I have uploaded one photo from each house - the worst case senario. One or two houses have two photos because of the damage. I hope to also include photos from church, but the building is alright. Jack Rowe's Dignity Funeral Home right next to church burned down to the ground this morning before church. LC finest tried to save it, but they couldn't.

Sm House

Sh House

Im House

McK House

Pa House

My House

Church

Jack Rowe Funeral Home

Surviving Ike

This is Daesha's mom. It's 7 am Sat. She just called to say they don't have electricity but are okay. She'll post more later.

Hurricanes in Life

Okay, you'll have to forgive another post on hurricanes. But they've been on my mind recently.

This is not a post on an actual hurricane, however. Just thoughts on life.

Isn't it funny that sometimes life throws you a hurricane? You're be-bopping along and you see it. A thundercloud on the radar. Perhaps it's just a storm, perhaps something bigger. And you start preparing.

The little rain cloud gets bigger.

Soon it is an overwhelming storm, buffeting you from all sides, dragging you from everything comfortable and showing you what REALLY matters in life. What you MUST have, at the barest minimum, to survive.

There are eyes in those storms, too. Pockets of peace where you're reminded that God is still in control. I'm in that eye now, just as a physical hurricane threatens my physical safety. In fact, it may be because of that physical hurrican that I am in a spiritual eye.

I'm not sure that the storm is over. But I do get a merciful break from the constant hammering for a little while, at least.

Thank you for your continued prayers for all this mess.

Update on weather

At 5:20, 50 MPH winds started buffeting my house. So we completed the boarding up procedure, namely, sealing the back door and scouting the neighbors houses for stray litter they thought was harmless but I'm not so sure.

I am apprently a yard nazi, spying litter I fear may fly and harm my house and others. Today, I have stashed a for sale sign, front door mats (4), yard signs (2), hanging plant, sprinkler head, hose, and a potted plant. In other people's yards. So, no leaving junk for me to clean up. But if you're in too big a hurry when you leave, rest assured the Hurricane Fairy will finish cleaning your yard, and will stash your stuff nearby for you to find when you get back.

I made Hannah go potty one last time for a while. The only way out now is through the garage. Our mean kitty got out and we had to chase him down. Fortunately, he is about 400 pounds and never turns away a snack. He doesn't move all that quick, either. He was not too hard to wrangle. The small kitty saw the fate of his (much) larger brother and decided that he should obey his benevolent captors and get himself back inside of his own accord. So we have all 5 of us safe and sound in the house.

We will continue to use the good sense God has given us to be careful. We are entertaining many of you who call us and tell us what a bad idea this was of ours. We appreciate your concern. We will certainly get a photo of the wave that washes over our house, the sitting on the roof for evacuation, and, of course, we will take plenty of photos from the helicopter, as requested. I will post those later.

Back to cooking dinner. Thank you for your prayers.

Good things, bad things

I love this style of posting. Come to think of it, the last time I saw it was written by first and second graders. So I'm in a simple mindset this morning, apparently.



Good thing: Contraflow (where they turn the south bound lanes into north bound lanes)

Bad thing: They're not using them. In their defense, we really don't need it right now, but that's not very comforting for those who are sitting in traffic, even for the 4 mile back up in Conroe.



Good thing: Opening toll roads for free to all for evacuation

Bad thing: Only the EZ Tag lanes are open like that. All the rest have the arms down. So only two lanes get through every time there's a toll booth.



Good thing: Storm shutters of corrugated steel

Bad thing: They get HOT when left in the sun. HOT!



Good thing: Storm shutters of corrugated steel

Bad thing: It's awfully dark in the house right now. Awfully dark. Which overnight isn't so bad. You sleep pretty good in a house with storm shutters on, blinds down and closed, and curtains. It's awfully dark. But during the storm I'd rather peek out the window occasionally and see outside. That is impossible with this system. Did I mention it was dark?



Good thing: Neighbors who are also staying

Bad thing: Neighbors who are staying but are freaking out. I actually said "This storm isn't so big. It's really not that big." Do I feel guilty about lying to them? A little. I did mean it wasn't as powerful as it could be. But Ike is big. Big. Those folks from California don't really understand a hurricane.



Good thing: Hurricane stores of food and water

Bad thing: Food is not Weight Watchers approved. But when you're looking in the store for food you can keep for 6 months in your pantry, food that can be opened with a manual can opener, and you don't have to heat or cool for it to be yummy, you're left with Dinty Moore Stew and Chili. We bought crackers at the store this week to help us get down the stew and chili.



Good thing: Evacuations went very, very well for those who left.

Bad thing: It took Rita to get us where we could say that.



Good thing: 24 hour Ike watch on all channels.

Bad thing: 24 hour Ike watch on all channels. Seriously, I don't need to see a reporter lashed to the pier as waves crash around him and his camera man can't stand. But it is cool to see Galveston with waves crashing over the Seawall Blvd on the south side of the island. How many times have I driven that? It's under water now, with every wave that comes in. Freaky. And it's low tide.



And now, I have to tell you of Ike's first morbidity. That's just where folks get hurt, not killed. I still get those confused. I think it's even used just for illness, but we're gonna use it for injury too, here. Go with it, people. Jeremy is sunburned on his neck and arms. Not because he had no access to sunscreen, but because he failed to avail himself of it. AND, I am sunburned. Only on my legs though. And my face. And my neck. I wore my hat! But apparently the sun bounces off that steel. . . . AND, I have a rash on my feet where I got into something in my yard. I think it's the weeds in my fern bed. I did actually board up in flip-flops. AND I have a HUGE blister on my right thumb from taking the protectors off the bolts and tightening the wing nuts to the shutters. It's pathetic really. I almost took a picture, but you wouldn't believe it was actually my thumb.



Keep praying!

Hurricane's Eve

What does one do on the eve of a hurricane? Well, let me tell you.

I went to work, came home, ate, put up all my storm shutters (all by myself!), mowed the grass (because I want my lawn to be manicured on the insurance photos), cleaned out the yard, cleaned out the truck, calmed down the next door neighbor (who was freaking out!), fixed my exhausted husband a sandwich, and fell into bed exhausted after tracking the hurricane until 11:00 pm.

My husband went to purchase and cut plywood for a family with disabilities who weren't able to take care of this themselves. Then he took the extra plywood to some elderly folks house and did the best he could to secure the southside of their house. Then he came home and our (nonfreaking out) next door neighbor helped us to rethread the few bolts that weren't working well. He also tracked the hurricane until 11:00 and is still enjoying his well deserved sleep.

My plans for today, you ask? Laugh if you will, but laundry. Clean sheets and towels for everyone. Also, study for boards, continue some projects, scrapbook, keep watch at my doors with a mop for leaks.

For those who are anxious about our decision to stay, we're not crazy. And if we thought we were going to be in trouble, we wouldn't be here. The storm is weakening, I believe thanks to prayer.

I told my mother I wanted to live through, and see, the eye of a hurricane. I want to watch the eye go over me. This midnight landing is not conducive to that. Oh well. I'm sure she's just wishing I wouldn't have an apparent death wish.

We will board up the doors this morning. To be perfectly honest with you, I'm more concerned about pottying for our dog than the storm. We may have to deal with messes later. But that's okay. I think taking a lab on a leash in the middle of this may be more like flying a kite than a potty break.

I'm writing posts for future post time. So if I blog more after I sign off, I'm not lying. I am just that prepared. Keep praying!

About Ike

We're staying. (insert your exasperated sigh here). There. We're weathering through a category 2-3 in our house and it's going to be fun. Just like camping. With 120 mph winds. And storm shutters. We're going to be fine. Plenty of food, water, and work to do. It's like a vacation. That's camping.

I know our God is bigger than a category anything storm. I know it can dissipate in an instant with just a word from the Big Guy. I am trusting that He will keep us in His hands.

Pray for those who are going and those who are staying. Traffic is already at a stand still down here in the WAY south, and there are more people trying to hit the roads later today. There will be deaths if these people can't get off the roads. And for those who are staying, pray that the storm goes away. Pray that electricity is maintained, and that tornadoes aren't a factor at all down here. Pray for the storm surge, that it is small, that creeks don't flood, and that rain has a place to go. Pray that the hurricane is timed for low tide (not that it matters too much, it's a big storm) so water can run off. Pray for our animals, that they will be okay. And pray for those who are left that there won't be a mob mentality like there was in NO 3 years ago. (We do have guns. And ammunition.)

One final thought. If we're this terrified of a hurricane, even a medium sized one, what should that tell us about what our attitude ought to be toward God. He's bigger than any old storm.

This will be my primary update site, since the phones are spotty at best now. I will keep this going as long as I can.

About Grief

Well, if that isn't a cheery title. I've been thinking alot about this subject recently because my friend is losing her father, and I am losing my mind. Ever so slowly.

What is it about grief that sends us into a emotional fetal position? I think it's the unpredictability of the whole matter. There's no linear progression through the Kubler-Ross five stages of grief. You memorized it in Abnormal Psychology in college. Or maybe just experienced it first hand. Denial-Anger-Bargaining-Depression-Acceptance. There. Linear on paper. All loopy-loop in real life.

My friend got word 5 weeks ago that her father had 24 hours to live. (Note: he's still with us) I got really tired of listening to her explaining to acquaintances that her entire month of June had been spent with her father and mother, and she had her two teenaged boys and husband to care for here, and her mother was cared for, blah, blah, blah. Nunya business why she's not on a plane immediately to be by her father's side. Why does she need to explain to everyone who asks? Why do people feel the need to ask? Concern, I suppoose.

Then I noticed a trend. Those of us who know her better moved on to other subjects. Children, car wrecks, school, life. Oh, and by the way, how is your dad? No disrespect. Just simple acknowledgement that while her grief and impending loss were acute, we also knew that good things, normal things, everyday things were also happening. And we could comment on those just as easily as we could slip into chatting about her father and how this last phone call went.

I think, and here I am editorializing, that you can tell alot about a relationship by the way people handle stressors. Deep friendships know there's another side to a person besides that acute grief. Sometimes the griever needs to talk about it, and sometimes just needs to talk about the fabulous scrapbook pages or card she made today. And that is just as valid.

Take it from someone who has a brain around here somewhere. Some days I just need a normal day. Which is when I stalk around here and read posts, and catch up on old friends newly found. And some days it's emotional fetal position for me. That's okay. Because it's a loopy-loop life.

Top Five Reasons I Need Valium Today

Now, ladies and gentlemen, here are the top 5 reasons I could use valium.

5. I have been up for almost 4 hours, and it's only 9:30 AM.
4. I haven't slept well in two weeks. Could have something to do with the two Dr Peppers I drank last night after 8:30 PM. And the stress.
3. New computer system at work starts today. Everyone here could use valium.
2. My nurse didn't show up for work today. Number 10. I'm tired of this.
1. And the number one reason: My husband lost the job he interviewed for because he was letting the dog out. No, you did not read that wrong. And can you see the steam from my ears from there?

So continue the prayers for a job, for God's will for our family, and for wisdom for both of us. We're really struggling emotionally with a whole host of things, and it's not getting any easier.

Houston, we have an interview

There's a phone interview starting in 5 minutes. Please pray, even belatedly, for God's will to be done in this situation. There will be a more complete post later.