Sunday, August 15, 2004

Nature Is Powerful

Life has been kind of crazy since Friday.  I haven't been sleeping more than two or three hours on a pop.  It is strange how my kid's life in Florida really affect my emotions up here.  When they go through something, I feel it!  Whenever Chelsea breaks up with a boyfriend, I lose ten pounds!  When she was in a car accident (and she wasn't really hurt) I lost 15!  I think it might be worse with my not being around than with my actually being there as I worry about what "could" go wrong and I don't and have the answers immediately, and I can't  give my motherly advice right when I want to.  Anyway, I was on the computer and the phone with my kids on Friday as Hurricane Charley was coming up the coast.  They live in Kissimmee.  Charley took an unexpected turn and hit them dead on.  Before the storm actually struck I was on the computer talking to Chelsea (before her step-mom and Dad got home) about what to do in a hurricane.  "What room are you going to go in, Chels?; Do you have water?  No?  Go boil some!  Oh, the room you are staying in has double walls and plastic windows!  Great!  You have a mattress you can get under, great!"  She called me on the phone again right before it struck, "We got grandma and grandpa to come!  They weren't going to.  You know how grandpa is, but I said in my sweet voice, grandpa, will you come to my shelter?"  "Mommy, Michelle (her step-mom) did go to the store before work and get water and food and batteries and everything we need"  ("Well of course she did," I thought, "She is a mom!")  Then they hunkered down and the next time I heard from her was at 10:30pm.  She called on her cellphone from outside with a flashlight in her hand, "Mommy, that was much worse than I thought!"  I heard her Dad in the background laughing.  I said, "What is he laughing about? She said, "The people across the street are asking if that is our roof in their front yard!"  I said, "Oh my gosh, you lost your roof!"  She said, "All the shingles, anyways!"  Then as they were surveying the damages I heard, "The swingset is bent in half, poor Sammy (her 2 year-old brother), our <metal> fence is blown away.  Trees are down on roofs.  None on ours, though!  2 or three inches of water on the ground.  Oh, Mommy, water was pouring down our walls!"  Then she said she had to get off, or was it I who told her to get off as the other side of the storm was coming through?  I asked her to please call me after 1am when it came through.  I stayed up, but got no call because there was no electricity in the area by this time.  The next call I got was from her cellphone the next morning around (oh, what time was it?  I was losing track of time?  I wasn't sleeping!)..the next day anyway...she said they were driving around surveying the damage.  She said that their ceiling was caving in.  Water was coming into her house through the roof.  They could see the sky!  She guessed they needed a new house.  They were in high spirits, actually.  This amazed me!  They were all prepared and knew what they were doing and had high spirits and didn't worry about their things!  The final call I got was this morning.  Chels told me that her arrival to come live with me would be delayed as her Dad would be busy and she can't get to her things and they can't even get into her house and the electricity will be off for four to seven days.  I told her that was all okay as no body was hurt!  I told her I was proud of her for keeping in such good, good contact with me!  Chelsea has grown into such a good, young, responsible woman and I wanted to let her know that!  For all of you in Florida, I want to let you know that my prayers are with you and I am sorry for you losses (especially of life) and may you know that the rest of the country is praying for you. 

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for keeping us up to date Val.
    http://journals.aol.co.uk/sdrogerson/SpecimenDays

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  2. Wow, that was worse than I thought it was Val.  Are they going to be able to repair the house?  I of course am only glad that everyone is ok.  
    I pray along with you for those who have lost so much, but of course most of all with those who lost their loved ones. -Krissy
    http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink  

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  3. Children always remain your "babies" - you never cease worrying about them no matter how old they are.  Thank God that your family are o.k.  We saw the devastation on tv over here last night - absolutely shocking.  Our prayers are with those who lost loved ones.

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  4. I am so so sorry about the destruction Charley caused. I was watching on the news in the Uk and my heart goes out to everybody who was caught in it. I know losing belongings and homes is unthinkable and horrendous, but thank god lives where not lost in your family. Belongings and homes can be replaced but lives can't. I still pray for you and all your family and hope you all find the  strength to get through this. Take care and  god bless :).........Jules xxxxxxhttp://journals.aol.co.uk/jules19642001/Itsmylife/

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