This thing is big
This whole hurricane thing is just so big. So many things have been affected. Hearing the news of the massive earthquake in India (19,000+ dead?) makes me realize that even though this is big, it could always be worse.

Our insurance adjuster is finally coming today. Shane is at the house today to meet him. This is his 5th trip (I think) back since the storm....I still have not been back at all. We are planning to go back next weekend...we can stay at Richard's house until our house is livable again. All we are wanting is to have our sheetrock back up to consider is livable...it won't be pretty!

We've done some furniture shopping but it is hard. It is hard to comprehend the number of things we need to replace and hard to be as excited about buying new things as I normally would be. I think mostly it is just overwhelming because there are so many things to pick out.

It does sound like things are slowly improving at home though. I know that my pediatrician, hairdresser (important), gym, and all 3 of the kids' schools are now open. So it does sound like we can function with a pretty normal routine when we do get back.

I talked to my sister in law last night and she sounded on edge....not just a bad day kind of edge, but the kind of edge that comes from extended stress. I know it's hard for her now...her husband is working out of town 4 days a week and she's in a small condo with 3 bored kids who can't go outside to play. At least they can go to school though.

I have my days for sure, but I am really trying hard not to let it bring me down too far. I am vowing to approach this much like I did my divorce 8 (?) years ago....it's a bad thing that happened, but I am moving forward and I will be damned if I am going to let this ruin things for me. Every now and then I will have a bad day and things will get to me, but I can try to find the positive in something every day and see this as a chance to make improvements in all kinds of areas.


I have heard from one of the leaders at I-to-I and the playgroup is trying to start meeting this Fall. I'm really exicted about that....I was so excited to join and have the chance to meet some new people and make some mom-friends, then poof it was over. I also got some info on another playgroup that is meeting now as well, so I do have the opportunity to improve the social area of my life, which I'm pretty excited about.

And since the YMCA is open I can keep up with my workouts to some degree. That's huge in my book.

Baby's up...gotta run.

New day
Mood:  chillin'
Better day. Made sure to eat enough. Definitely makes a difference. Took kids to park....also makes a difference. Guess I will persevere. Need to go work out tomorrow...feel sloppy. Shane on his way back here from home....kitchen cabinets collapsed inside from flood. He said it was gross. He's driving thru Beaumont, TX now and there are no lights. Two stupid hurricanes.

Stupid Hurricane
Mood:  not sure
So I've been in exile for a month now, since the stupid hurricane hit a month ago. Have not been home even once since then, which is really weird. Am living in Austin, TX currently and while it is nice enough, it is NOT HOME. Plus is is 106 degrees at the end of Sept. Wrong. Supposed to cool off 20 degrees or so tomorrow. It better.

Shane is at home right now doing whatever with the house. Since I have not been able to go home, I have not been able to help with that process at all. A whole host of people have been in and out of my house, packing up and throwing out my stuff. We only got 6 inches of water in our house but have lost sooooo much. The insurance adjuster still has not been out and will not be out for another 7 to 10 days. Since our house is without sheetrock halfway down, we cannot live in the house with a 15 month old wild child. Therefore I am stuck here in TX.

I try to make the best of it. The city is nicer than ours of course...with much more to offer. But we did not make a conscious decision to move here permanently, so we are in limbo here and thus not emotionally invested in this place. It's like being on vacation WAY TOO LONG.

I am trying not to be depressed about it all, even though I know I have every right to be. But some days I just can't muster up happiness to be here, even though I know conditions there are not ideal. Stores are not open, garbage has not been picked up for a month...it's like a war zone, right here in the good old USA. I feel so powerless to help with any of it because I always have kid duty, no matter what. I feel like I could get things moving along at home much faster but maybe I would not. All I get is pictures every 10 days or so. It really is a weird time.