Update on where we are...

We are alive, dry, and full of power in Waco right now. I haven't been online very much since Thursday so I appreciate everyone who has called to check up on us. On Thursday morning Derek & I were watching the news and decided we weren't evacuating (again, like three years ago for Rita) for Hurricane Ike. 2 hours and 10 panicked phone calls later from all my buddies in Houston and I had quickly started reviewing my options. Derek called and told me he wanted me to go to Waco. I was stunned. Justin was all packed ad ready to go to Mother's Day Out, Barrett was playing with toys, and I had nothing packed. So I quickly started moving around and realized I needed to get gas. After 15 minutes at the neighborhood Kroger and not moving at all in line, I dropped Justin off at MDO and went to get gas off Longpoint. Barrett fell asleep in the car and I just let him take an early morning nap. Which was great because I had so much to do.

My buddy Tracy and I kept going back and forth between what to do and when to leave. We decided we would meet at the Junods and take her two kids and my two boys (Justin & Barrett, our guest) in their Sequoia. We crammed in all four carseats and our luggage and started on some back roads to avoid the 290 traffic. After getting lost a few times and taking some wrong turns, we ended up making the trip in good time. Thanks to my buddies in Waco, Ann, Lauren, & Katy, who brought all their booster seats and pack 'n plays so that we wouldn't have to pack all that stuff in an already packed car.

Derek and Tracy's husband stayed behind at our house in Houston. They brought in all our stuff from outside and got ready for the nasty storm to hit. They stayed without power for about 24 hours. They cooked on the camping grill, walked the neighborhood to see all the destruction, and drove to Paul's house to verify that everything was okay. Derek came up to Waco Saturday night and Paul came up Sunday morning. My in-laws were wonderful in letting us all crash for the weekend. The kids have had a blast running all over the house and playing in the big backyard. I'll post some pictures once I get my cord to connect my camera to my computer (which is in Houston, along with so many things I wish I had thought to bring). We just moved over to my parents house this morning for a change of scenery. Tracy and I snuck away to listen to David Crowder at University Baptist while my parents kept the kids.

I am worn out but glad that we are not at our house, without power, with the stench of hundreds of dollars of food starting to deteriorate in both of our refrigerators. There are worse situations...