Friday morning - a new day of anticipation

We had a fairly restful night. Thoughts of course back in Houston. Our hotel is near the airport - so hearing planes early didn't help. It is strange now that I realize that hurricanes have always happened, but not until I moved to the Gulf coast have I understood the impact. As a Californian I grew used to seeing some video, watching The Weather Channel and looking for Jim Cantore and didn't give it much thought. Now I realize it affects thousands and thousands of people. We are blessed to be able to have found and afford a hotel. Many people are leaving hoping to find something. Their children are just as worried as mine, but instead have to find solace in a shelter. Many evacuated on buses - unable to bring all the photos and such that we packed in our cars. My prayers are with them.

Other things to consider when you think of Houston. Many refineries are there - lots of oil. This means barges of oil in the Port of Houston. Galveston has two major hospitals that had to be evacuated UTMB and a Children's Hospital. There is also the Shriner's Burn Institute. The Texas Medical Center in Houston has number one ranked hospitals. People travel from across the country and around the world for care there. These families already in crisis are having to brace for this storm as well.

So in all that I say be praying for us - but also for all those families. Lives will be disrupted and yet I know without a doubt God is still on his throne. He is with us and I can feel His peace and the prayers of others - otherwise I'd be freaking out right now!

I am listening to the news right now via www.khou.com. The just said that the Coast Guard cannot rescue a stranded freighter in the Gulf with 22 on board. Pray for their safety.

Today we are going to try to have some fun and get away from the TV and go to the River Walk for awhile. I don't think it was a coincidence that last Sunday's service was titled "Underpressure" about choosing joy in situations. The powerful testimony of a young family was shared. As they were expecting their first child a few years ago, the dad was in a horrendous motocross accident. They did not expect him to live. Their child was born while he was in a coma. They told her that if he recovers he will most likely not remember her or walk. AND YET there they were in the front row - still recovering from his injuries, but walking, able to talk, and with his family. I will keep that lesson in my heart today.

And with all that the kids are asking when we can go home - I don't know.

And now we know

Today is Thursday, September 11th. We have now evacuated to San Antonio staying at a Residence Inn there (MUCH, MUCH better than last evacuation). How did we end up here? Well....

Last night we started the evening very carefully watching Ike. No evacuation orders had been given. We were going to play it by ear, but began getting the house ready for the storm - putting away everything outside, moving photos and important items upstairs - bagging them in plastic, moving things away from windows. This morning we woke up early about 7 a.m. to find that the storm had turned and mandatory evacuations were called for our area (they do it by zip code). The expected storm surge - if nothing changed as of that moment - would be 18 feet. We are in a storm surge area. Winds were expected at 100+ mph. So we woke the kids up and told them to pack their stuff and we were evacuating.

I am still waiting to see what clothes I actually brought - don't remember packing much. We did pack up items from the refrigerator and freezer to bring with us (kitchen here) along with other food and stuff the dog would need. We left our house around 8:45 a.m. anticipating a potentially long drive to San Antonio.

Fortunately everyone in Houston was abiding by the order to only be on freeways if you were ordered to evacuated. Everyone else is suppose to "hunker down". We only ran into a little bit a slowing and maintained full speed all the way in. On the way we saw many,many buses, ambulances, and taxis heading toward Houston to help with the evacuation for those who can't leave on their own. My prayers are with those anxious people right now.

We were blessed by having our hotel room ready though we arrived early. They even waived the fee for pets since we were evacuating. The staff here has been very accomodating for us. So now we have our computers hooked up to the wireless. Robert is watching the live video feed from www.khou.com and I am sending updates. As for the kids, two are playing Wii, one is watching TV and one is on the phone.

I will try to update to let you know how we're doing and what we've heard.

Still Don't Know

We are waiting to hear what the news says tonight with Ike. So far there are no mandatory evacuations for our area. The schools are closed tomorrow and Friday - but NASA hasn't closed at all (which affects Kristal) so maybe they know something we don't. All that to say is we are getting the house ready in case we have a lot of wind and rain - stay or not. I'm tired.

I don't know!!!!

Yes that is my response in regards to Ike - are we leaving....I don't know. Should we stay.... I don't know. We at least have a place to go - the idea of driving (and packing) is not my idea of fun. Nor is the idea of spending money on gas and hotel for who knows how many days. Schools are cancelled Friday. So I imagine we will debrief tonight and look at the infamous "models" and decide what we shall do. Keep checking the blog and I will try to keep it up to date.

Cautious optimism

Well it's Wednesday. I am wondering what I will do with all the extra time when I don't feel the need to continually check hurricane tracks. Right now it "looks" like Ike will hit south of us. There is some talk that we will get the "dirty side" of the storm. For a native San Diegan I really have no clue what in the world it means. In the meantime I haven't cancelled our reservations yet - hopefully can do that with a confident heart later today and free up hotel space for some family that will really need it.

Not Again...

It is hard enough to start a week without having to watch the Gulf. This is a phrase totally unused by me a few years ago "watching the Gulf". It is what we do now anytime there is a hurricane.

There was an article recently talking about "hurricane fatigue". If coastal residents are weary and becoming complacent because of too many hurricane warnings. I have to say I am tired of it - but each "watch" prompts me to secure a hotel - just in case (this time I was a bit later and it took quite a while to find a hotel to house all of us). It also helps me relook at our plan and realize if its going to happen with such frequency I should just make a check list. "Hurricane entering Gulf - do this, this and this". I am fatigued - but it is more of a brain drain - it is hard for me to focus on plans for the immediate future when such a large "what if" looms within the span of a few days.

And so we prepare for Ike. The hotel is ready in San Antonio. The water and batteries are still here, leftover from Gustav. We check the internet throughout the day to see if we are out of the dreaded "cone of uncertainty". They say it is highly unusual for a hurricane to enter the Gulf after the end of September - I can't wait for the month to end!

Labor Day

Here in Houston it is a beautiful morning. A few wispy clouds with just a slight breeze. It is hard to imagine that to the east of us Louisiana just had a hurricane come ashore. Right now I am the only one up - even made carmel rolls for breakfast (easiest recipie ever!). It sort of feels like we need to celebrate our relief. Today looks to be a normal day - but I can't help but think of those families waiting anxiously in shelters and hotel rooms waiting for the storm to pass.