Thoughts on Hurricane Laura

 This is my third summer in Louisiana.  There are many things to love about Louisiana.  Hurricane season is not one of them.  We have been threatened by approaching hurricanes before.  They either changed course or fizzled out.  Even if we received the winds and rain, it wasn't bad.  This time was different.  I knew it deep within my bones that Laura was going to be different.  The first predictions were we would get it hard.  Even when the hurricane veered to the west and we weren't in the direct path, it was going to be bad.  The east side of hurricane is a lot worse than the west side.  

Wednesday as I worked, I kept the weather channel where I could check on it frequently.  We were under tornado watches and warnings all day.  I started to get a little scared.  

After I finished work, I checked my facebook.  There were several messages from friends that said they were praying for us.  That eased my anxiety.  I posted saying please pray for Louisiana and Texas.  A lot more of my family and friends sent messages.  That really helped ease my mind.  Until bed time.  Then I began to get scared again.  Could I really sleep through damaging winds and pounding rain that was expected.  Probably not.  But, I did.  I slept like a baby.  We lost power around 1:30, but I didn't know it.  I didn't know it until around 3:00 when I woke up.  I was hot.  The wind was howling and the rain was coming.  I was quite sure that Laura had made landfall some where in Louisiana and Texas.  

At 6:30 my alarm went off and still no power.  I slept another hour.  I then texted my boss to say I wouldn't be working.  

Power was restored around 10:00 a.m.  But no wi-fi.  That was restored around 11:30.  I logged in and worked from noon until 7:00.  

I began to see the pictures out of Lake Charles.  It was so sad.  Unsurvivable storm surge had been predicted, I was upset at a national news report that almost sneered and said that was certainly survivable.  She could have said "thankfully, the storm surge was not as bad as predicted.  This was my state she was talking about people had lost everything, even if the storm surge was not unsurvivable.  I know people over there.  I have friends that have family there.  

The Baton Rouge news said if it had been just 40 miles more to the east, we would have seen a lot more damage.  The rain and wind continued most of the day Thursday.  School was cancelled again on Friday because so many people in Baton Rouge were still without power.  

The Cajun Navy was on its way to help early Thursday morning.  

Locally, some of the sugar cane fields have been flattened.  Just a few weeks before harvest.  I can't imagine what crops look like on the west side of the state.  

Today, in Baton Rouge there are signs with numbers that evacuees can call for shelter.  Almost every restaurant had a parking lot full of utility trucks that are heading west. 

It could have been much worse in Baton Rouge.  I am thankful it wasn't.  But I wish it didn't have to be any where.  This whole thing has been very sobering.  

Please pray for all of the people that felt hurricane Laura directly.  They have to go face what is left and then attempt to clean up and rebuild.  Please pray for all the volunteers and utility workers as try to restore some normalcy.

Adoption Day

On January 17, 2012 we were still in Honduras.  That day three little boys arrived and called Casa de Esperanza home.  The two little ones were twins.  They were 2 months old.  One weighed six pounds and the other weighed 4.5 pounds.  I had never seen babies that small.  They had been left to die at birth.  They were rescued and taken to the public hospital.  Both of these little guys had a lot of health problems.

When we got to DINAF and I saw how tiny they were and how sick they were, I wondered what on earth we were doing.  I realized they were not out of the woods.  I vowed to myself that they would not die.  At least on my watch.  The medical costs were enormous.  Our Casa supporters just kept coming through.  They began to grow and thrive.

Sometime later, Stephanie Rhoton came to Honduras on her first mission trip.  She fell in love with all of the children of Casa de Esperanza.   She began to help us financially and other ways.  And, was later added to the board.  Sometime over four years ago, Stephanie listened to God's voice that she was to adopt those twins.  She shared this with us and we said go for it.  For an American to adopt a Honduran child almost never happens.  And, when it does, it is a long hard journey.  Add to that, Stephanie is single.  But, Stephanie prayed and we prayed.  Soon others began to pray as well.  It was never an easy or cheap journey.  Stephanie remained steadfast in her belief that those boys were hers.
Thousands of prayers have been prayed.  As setbacks came, thousands of tears have been shed.  There has been uncertainty.  Fear.  Frustration.  Anger at a system that moved so slowly.  Emotions that we don't even know.

Today, in Honduras, this long hard journey ended as Stephanie and both boys signed papers officially naming Stephanie as mommy to Olman and Josue.    Today, thousands of prayers have been answered.  A few hundred more tears were shed.  This time they were tears of happiness and relief.

Congratulations Steph.  Congratulations to Olman and Josue also.

This Old Car

I have always been a huge John Denver fan.  At one time, I had every lp album.  Later, I had several cassettes.

I recently got rid of my 2005 Saturn Vue.  I did not get something newer.  I got something with 80,000 less miles on it.

That Vue was a good ol' car, but in the last 12 months I had put an enormous amount of money in it.  It was time for us to part ways.

That car took me lots of miles as I raised money for the children's home.   I mean lots and lots of miles.  The first time I returned from Honduras by myself, that old car was waiting on me.  Heard me weeping, praying, singing, talking and laughing.  I knew my rants were safe there.

As I visited churches, that old car also took me to the homes of friends and family where I was received with love and warmth.  The car also took me off on some adventures.

Like I said, there were a lot of repairs bills recently, but that faithful car never broke down or had any problems while I was traveling all over the US.  That car provided just what was needed.

Many times when I got in that car, I could hear John Denver singing "sometimes this old car feels like a long lost friend."

I sold the car to a junior in high school who was buying her first car.  I told her I hoped she enjoyed the car as much as I had.  I think she will.

By the way, I still have on John Denver CD in my car.  Not the Vue, the new old car.

It Is Only A Table

In September, 2007, I wrote my very first blog entry titled "If My Kitchen Table Could Talk".  I have written hundreds of blog posts since then.  Now, here I am back to a table.  But this one is my dining room table.  I have had it longer than the kitchen table.  Every day life happened at the kitchen table.  Holidays and special events happened at the dining room table.

The table itself and six chairs were purchased in Amarillo.  Antique mahogany in poor condition.  I had them restored after moving to Lubbock.  While living in Collierville, a friend found a buffet to match.  It was in really poor condition.  I had it restored also.  Then I found a hutch to match that was in great shape.  This dining room furniture was not used as much, but definitely loved as much as the kitchen table.  Maybe more.

It has been in storage and I can't continue to pay storage on this furniture.  I am getting rid of it for whatever I can get.  There is other furniture too, but none as dear as this dining room furniture.  This is crazy.  I have wept over this furniture.  It is only a table.  And six chairs, a hutch and buffet.

I have so many things to be thankful for.  And, I know that.  And, it is insane to weep over getting rid of furniture.  Inanimate objects.

It is only a table.  But I sure hope it gets a good new home.

One Year Later

One year ago today, Casa de Esperanza closed.  It was a very sad day for everyone involved.  It was one of the saddest days of my life.  Like other big sadnesses, I thought I would never smile again, never laugh again, never find happiness again.  And, just like with the other big sadnesses, I learned to smile again, to be happy again.

There was so much fear, so much uncertainty. It was not easy to start over at my age and by myself.  But I was never alone.    The adjustment back to the States was and is hard.  It just seemed natural that I would go back to Texas.  Several people offered a place to live until I got on my feet.  I considered each offer.  But, Nicole sort of convinced me to come to Baton Rouge, especially after she told Emma that I was coming to Baton Rouge to live.

Baton Rouge was a good choice.  I would have been happy in Texas.  Or any where I chose to go.  I like Baton Rouge.  I like my church and my job.  I like being close to part of my family.

There are things I miss and don't miss about Honduras.  I do not miss the long lines at the bank.  You never even have to go to the bank in the States.  I don't miss the long drive back to the grocery store if I forgot something or just did not plan correctly.

I love worshipping in English every week, but I do miss simple church.

I do miss our long drives in the mountains.  I miss devotionals every morning with the kids.

I don't miss the never ending hours I was working.  I still work long hours, but not that long.

I miss coffee with Kelin on the mornings she worked.

I don't miss having to go to more than one pharmacy to get the meds that I or the children needed.

I miss the slower pace in Honduras, but love the franticness in the States, too.

And, I may never eat rice again.

As with every place I have lived, I left a piece of myself in Honduras.  I took a piece with of Honduras with me.  I miss friends, just as I do miss friends from other places.

No matter what I miss and don't miss about Honduras and no matter what I do and do not like about living in the States, I will always miss those children.  They all left big footprints across my heart.  I love them and miss them.  I am thankful that I can chat with some of them on Face Book, but it is not the same as their hugs and smiles.

I will be forever grateful for the 10 years I lived in Honduras.

Road Trip To Mississippi

Family is one of my biggest blessings.

Nathan and Julia and their kids are in Hernando, Mississippi for Thanksgiving.  Hernando is about 350 miles from Baton Rouge, but a lot closer than New Hampshire.  My kids, grandkids and I have not been together since April 20, 2014.  Nathan's family had not met Paige and Nicole's family had not met Thatcher.  Once I learned that Nathan's family was going to be in Hernando, I could see a road trip in my future and, I hoped, in the future of Nicole's family.  Unfortunately, Matt did not get to make this trip with us.  In late September, I scheduled a day of PTO for yesterday.  After Paige was in the hospital last week, I wasn't sure if Paige and Nicole would get to go.  But they did.

I have been excited about this trip for a while.  But Sunday, I kicked the excitement up to a whole new level.  "Going on road trip.  Going on  a road trip," I chanted and had the girls chanting with me.  Nicole gave me a lot of eye-rolls.

Tuesday evening I walked in the door chanting "going on a road trip."  Nicole said she did not want to hear it again.  Eye-roll.  From me to her.  I stopped for gas and Nicole went in to get a monster drink.  When she got in the car, the big girls said, "going on a road trip."  Everyone laughed.  And that ended the chant.  At least for a while.

We made a not-so-quick trip through the drive through at Taco Bell.  They be out of Mugg rootbeer.  We got in I-12 at 6:15 with Taco Bell in our hands.  Thirty or so minutes later we are getting on I-55 North.  Someone says, I know we are not even to Mississippi, but I need to go to the bathroom.  It was not one of the girls and it was not me.  It was that monster drink's fault.  I know where are the rest stops and good gas stations are.  I told her we would stop at the first rest stop in Mississippi.

Paige slept from Baton Rouge to Hernando.

We stopped north of Jackson.  What is a road trip without M&Ms?  Only the people that were awake got those and no one was allowed another drink.  Then another stop in Grenada for gas.  We got to the Day's Inn in Hernando at 11:45.  Haley and I shared a bed and the other two girls slept with Nicole.  When I got in bed, Haley said, "going on a road trip."  Haley and I died laughing.  And I could visualize Nicole's eye-roll.

Like I said a few minutes ago, Paige slept from Baton Rouge to Hernando.  She needed about forty minutes of play time before going back to sleep.

The girls rose early.

After eating the free breakfast at the Day's Inn and spilling orange juice and syrup, we were off to see the cousins.

We got to Julia's parents at five minutes after 9:00.  My goal was 9:00.

Julia's parents and I have been friends since our kids fell in love and I have always enjoyed being at their house.  We just felt so welcome there.  Emma Kate and Thatcher became immediate friends.  The kids played outside.  Inside.  Outside.  There was visiting, eating, laughing, eating.

Martha had really good soup for lunch.  Then Nathan, Julia, Nicole, the five kids and I went to the movie to see "Ralph breaks the Internet."  It was a really cute movie.

We went back to Martha's for dessert and pictures.  I had hope to be headed back to Baton Rouge by 3:00, but we left at 4:00.  I am thankful for that extra hour.

Haley cried.  She said it had been so long since she had seen Camille and it was so short.  Emma Kate behaved as she does when she is said.  And Grammy might had had a tear or two.

Julia's dad and I agreed that we would probably make our first stop at Grenada or sooner.  Thankfully, we were wrong.  I got to Canton.  We stopped for gasoline, food, potty.  One stop does all this time.  We decided to eat inside instead of the car.  We need a break.  And, did we ever get one.  That fast food place was not fast at all.  It was a long break.  I was so tired.  I went to get some coffee at the c-store and they were out of coffee.  I was thinking I would have to make another stop, but I didn't.  I pushed through.

We got home at 10:00.  I was so tired.  I was exhausted.  But being with my family was worth every second of being tired.  I would turn around do it again today if I had to.

It was an awesome seven hours.

I hope we don't have to wait another four years, seven months and one day to be together again.

I am so thankful for this time for my family to be together.

Come Thirsty

The first time we fed at the dump, we noticed how thirsty people were.  Some wanted water more than the food.  When we started feeding under the bridge, people wanted something to drink.  And, in this heat, needed something to drink.  Today with lunch I had sweet tea.  Then I mowed the yard in this thousand degree Baton Rouge heat.  I did not want tea when I finished.  I craved water.  I drank a lot of it and am still drinking water.  It is hard to get quenched.

I know physical thirst, and  I know true spiritual thirst.  Do I yearn to be quenched deep in my soul as I long to be quenched physically after I mow the yard?  Jesus promised if I drink of this living water and let it quench my soul that I will never thirst again.  I usually just take a little gulp of Jesus as I need it, enough to keep from dying.  I need to drink long and deep and let Jesus fill my soul and never thirst again.  That sounds so easy.  Why then am I thirsty and yearning so much of the time?