I absolutely love learning about the history, food and civilization of different cultures. I also love to cook and travel. So I've decided to mold these things together and create one big theme out of it.
It will also be the blog I use when I do travel. As of now I don't have many stops on the list, ( so far the Bahamas and Italy, and that's if I can earn the money for them. ) but hopefully, if God has it in store, later on there will be more.
When I get to go to these places, I will try my best to blog before, during, and after. Not just so that I can share as much of it with you all as I possibly can (that's the only thing I hate about traveling, it's so expensive to travel that there's no way you can take everyone you would like to) but so that I can look back on it later and say "Hey, I remember when I blogged about that. That was the day we went to the Sistine Chapel." or "I was sitting right under the Eiffel Tower when I wrote that."
As soon as I create it, I'll post the link. c ;
As for the here and now however, things are going basically the same. In fact, I sometimes feel guilty that we can somewhat get back to some kind of normal home life, when so many of our friends\families are having to still pick up the pieces and readjust to their new lives. I also long to see them, and miss our weekly gathering at the Cedar House now more than ever. But, as my mother is always reminding us, God's grace is sufficient. We are all safe and love each other more now than ever. But keep us in your payers still, especially the ones who were affected the most.
Here is the fifth part of the storm story.......
Link
Storm Story ( Part 5 )
When I began these notes, I didn't think they would get as big a response as they have. And I would like to thank you all for reading them and sharing your compassion for the whole situation. As I have said before, all the people I've mentioned in these notes have become much more than friends. There seems to be a special bond you form when you weather a storm of any kind together. God created His children for companionship and has blessed us with that special bond, for which I am grateful. And as I heard Stephen Boyd put it one day after the storm, "I wouldn't have rather gone through it with anyone else."
I think I'll tell you about those few days after the storm, I wasn't going to do this but I think now that its important to share as well.
Also, I've decided to move to my blog and keep up with what is going on in the Valley there, just as soon as I'm done with these notes. It will give me a chance to post pictures along with the stories and I can also keep everyone updated on the rebuilding of the Cedar House, the condition of the Lees and Crawford's, and how God is going to continue to work in our lives.
Many of us have had to start over, even the ones who's houses are still standing. Just when we start to think things have gotten back to normal, all we have to do is drive through the Valley and all those memories come flooding back. And we know that this rebuilding process will take a very long time. However, despite all the destruction around us, I feel like we are at the beginning of something beautiful. God does not abandon His people in their time of need. And he uses heartache and destruction, suffering and turmoil to make us stronger.
"Out of these ashes, beauty will rise."
When I woke up Thursday morning after the storm, after just two hours of sleep, it was daylight, finally. Most everyone around me was beginning to wake up as well. I sat up, trying not to wake Kyla. I didn't have a moment when I thought everything was fine, and then remembered what had happened the day before. It never left me. As I looked around the room at mostly sleeping children, I remember feeling so thankful to the Boyd's for taking such good care of us. It was around seven a.m. and I had no idea where everyone was, besides the people in the living room with me. But I had a sense that everything was okay.
As the little ones began to wake up the house became more alive. And surprisingly they were all in such a good mood. Everyone was. Alexa Crawford, who is around eleven or twelve I think, was lying next to me on the floor. I remember her laughing at her little sisters who were now up and acting silly, pointing out to me little things that they were doing. She has a sweet laugh, it was comforting, that even though she had just gone through the worst she was still laughing at the little things. Shes strong, like her mother and sister.
I sat there for a while just observing and thinking. (By the way I forgot to mention that Mr. Smith, the man who brought blankets the night before, also brought some food. They were some kind of snack food made by a friends company I think. They were called Cheese Straws, it's the first time I've ever tasted them, and I believe they will forever remind me of that night at the Boyd's house.) Someone set out some kind of tortillas after a while for breakfast along with the cheese straws. I don't believe they had much for the amount of people there at the time, but we all had enough.
As more and more people awoke people started talking and trying to figure out what they were going to do. We had heard that the Lees were safe at the hospital. Jesse and my Dad left to go and check on the house, Jesse had said that he'd made his way down to it the night before. He said it was still standing, but it was dark and hard to tell where the damage was. We asked about Shadow ( our horse ), they said that they had looked down there but not actually gone down there. There were trees fallen down all in the pasture they said. It didn't look hopeful. But now they were going to the house to get a pair of clothes for everyone and extra food. We didn't know how long we would be at the Boyd's at that point. While they were gone we all cleaned up the pallets off the Boyd's floor and began to come outside where we could see power trucks on the road and bull dowsers trying to move debri out of the way. With everything piled on the road that morning it took hours to get through the Valley, I think that's why Dad and Jesse stayed gone so long.
The Crawford's were able to go to the home of one of the families that attend their church. I believe they stayed there temporarily just after the storm. I remember hugging Bria goodbye on the porch, not wanting them to leave, but knowing they had too. The Kings went with them as well if I remember correctly.
I remember sitting on the Boyd's porch in one of their rocking chairs, with a blanket over my knees. ( It was chilly that morning. ) Their house has got a clear shot of the road and opposite mountain, but it's pretty far back. So all I could see was the stretch of road that ran in front of it and the field and mountain on the other sign. I remember looking at the opposite mountain and wondering how bad the damage was. I knew the Crawford's house had been mostly swept away, and the Lees was gone completely. And looking at the mountain I could see that most of the trees were mostly bare, so bare you could see the mountain side clearly. And they all had a permanent sway to them. I say sway, but really they were probably broken in two with their tops lying next to them. I had no idea how bad the damage was.
When Dad and Jesse finally made it back, we all changed. And at that point, I felt the need to go home. I felt like I needed to see it for myself, and, do the inevitable. Check on Shadow.
So Gina and Jesse decided to stay and help the Boyd's for a little while longer, while the rest of us bid the Boyds goodbye with many Thank you's and headed home. I remember seeing a stuffed deer head in the ditch by the Boyd's fence, and thinking that there wasn't a house within a hundred feet of here. Again, I had no idea how bad the damage was.
We all climbed into my dads car that had survived the storm. All the windows accept for the front were completely blown out, one of the rear view mirrors was bent back and smashed, one of the tires was going flat, there was a huge dent in one of the doors and a very large crack in the remaining window. And on top of that it had been pelted with tiny rocks from the Crawford's driveway. In fact this was the same car that had been blown into a field, after which my Father had to go get it.
I remember clinging to my backpack trying to brace myself as we began to drive down the road. After all it had been dark when we'd come out of the Crawford's the night before, and before that I hadn't even been out of the house. So I hadn't seen it really.
It was worse than I could've ever imagined, some parts of the road were literally unrecognizable. As we drove I tried to recall what building each pile of rubble used to be, but I couldn't point them all out. I saw where the Lees used to be, now the only thing there was the retreat center. I cried, but not a lot at that point. However I do remember wanting to just stop and cry several times before this. But I didn't, partly because I was kept busy, and partly because of those around me. I didn't want to make anyone feel worse.
When we got home, I went straight to my room and changed. I told dad that I was going to see where Shadow was. He told me that maybe I should wait and let Jesse do it. But I couldn't wait, after all, there was a chance that she was down there hurt but alive. And if that was the case, then she would need our help. He told me to prepare myself. I already had, nonetheless I tried to keep a hopeful spirit about it.
We'd had Shadow for almost ten years I think. Ever since she was just a baby. We had already seen the passing of her surrogate mother, Doc, many years before. We had first gotten Shadow when we lived in Florida, and I was still very young. She was a part of our family. I remember Jesse spending hours working with her and learning about horses so he knew how best to train her. She was always stubborn and sometimes bullheaded. But she had a sweet side, and was trained very well. She was the first horse Charlene ever rode as a baby, and we loved her very much.
As I walked down to the pasture I began to see that there were only two large trees that had fallen directly in it. Most likely, she's hopped the fence and is out somewhere eating the neighbors grass, I told myself.
I climbed over the first tree, which was the biggest and saw that the other tree was small enough that most likely, if Shadow was under it, I'd be able to see her from here. But I didn't, which I took as a good sign.
So I began to search under the big tree, with the thought that if she wasn't under here most likely shes fine. I searched quickly, not really sure what I was looking for, and not really sure I wanted to see what I was looking for.
At first I saw nothing, and, with relief, began to move on to the other tree. But as I was turning around I caught a glimpse of just what I didn't want to see. So I turned around and moved the branches to see.
My heart sank to my stomach. There was nothing graphic thankfully, I didn't even see any scars. She was just lying there, just like she normally lays on the ground. Only, the biggest part of the tree was over her back, another small branch was on her nose and I think there was a third one in the back. They didn't look like they were even pushing on her. For a fleeting second I thought maybe she was just stuck and needed help out. But that thought didn't last long. I began to move closer to make sure she wasn't still alive before I left her. I never got close enough to touch her though. I was afraid I would see something I couldn't erase. But I was sure she was gone.
Mom, Dad and Steven came outside and I told them where she was. I remember standing there in shock. I had seen my fathers eyes well up and felt my own tears coming, so I walked away from them and into the house. When I got to my room, I finally just sat down and wept. Not just for Shadow, but for Mr. Lee and everyone who had been affected. They say grief comes in waves. Which I think is our bodies way of taking in a little at a time so that were not overwhelmed.
When I was through crying, I felt a little silly. After all we had only lost a horse, which was a big loss for us. But the Lees had lost their Father. How much more painful it must have been for them. I was grateful then, that we were all safe.
When Gina and Jesse got home I told them that I didn't think she was alive. And they went to check. I remembered seeing him cry when our first horse ( Doc ) had to be put down. And it was hard enough then, so I went inside.
I know he cried, Gina did too later. That day was very hard for us all. But again, we were crying ( not just because of loosing Shadow ) but because we were realizing just how bad it all was. And it was hard to take. I think when Jesse cried about Shadow, he was also crying about Mr. Lee.
But even during these hard times, God was with us, he was right beside us sharing our tears, and comforting us. I remember praying after I was through crying for the first time. I thanked God for keeping us safe, and prayed for the Lees and Crawfords and Boyds, and everyone affected by these storms.
I know I said this would be the last one. But I think I'll do a few more, just to be able to fit everything all in. c ;
