normal, anyone??

Ha! Just wanted to update everyone, and finally got some pictures loaded up. I cannot begin to explain what life is like after 13 days of no power, but I also know all too well that so many of you already know what it was like. We were so fortunate to have no damage to our home, just a fly away trampoline we tracked down during the eye of the storm (oh yeah, picture Wizard of Oz, looking for Dorothy- scary like that) and disassembled so it wouldn’t cause any more damage.
Not everyone was that lucky, and especially after seeing Brent’s pictures after he had to go down to Galveston a week later to walk and assess the situation with the pipelines, it was a reminder of just how big and bad and far reaching this hurricane was. On top of that, Shelley was affected by far the worst out of anyone I know, and Shelley being Shelley, is doing well, considering having lost so much.
As far as what you do with two weeks of no power and kids with absolutely nothing to do, you read a WHOLE lot, play more board and card games than you ever thought imaginable, and play outside until the mosquitoes are threatening to eat you alive. Oh, and happy hour seems to start earlier and earlier every day. I boiled pasta and cooked dinner by grill and by toaster oven, vacuumed by generator when I just couldn’t stand it anymore, and begged and borrowed washing machines from those with electricity guilt when the laundry could compete with any mountain (thanks Anita and Tiff!!). Em and I even Chi’d our hair now and then…. It works just as good by generator, and sometimes, you just gotta feel normal.

The kids here ended up going back to school September 25th, of which I cannot begin to describe what it felt like to pull onto our street after picking up the kids that day to see power on the block. Dreamy. We got it back around 3:30 that afternoon, and left the next morning to celebrate my 30th in Vegas.

We had a fabulous time, 3 other couples joining us (Brandy and Jason, Sabrina and Shaun, and Heather and Harry) and all those bright flashing lights were appreciated much more than ever before (and the glorious AC-ahhhhhhhhhh). Brent rocks. Seriously. I have no idea how the little itsy bitsy tiny shred of my sanity would still exist if it wasn't for him, always knowing that he was there to take care of us, and make sure everything was okay… and yet, still managed to make it a spectacular birthday for me, down to the limo driver at the carousel with the sign that said, "Happy Birthday Heather".
I could not have asked for more fun in Vegas... Stayed at Caesar's. Friday night was crazy fun, a once in a lifetime night that we will reminisce about forever... it included, but is not limited to, Kahunaville and rides at the stratosphere at midnight, and ending our night at around 3 am.

and Saturday night we went to see Stomp. Totally Amazing show. I could not have been more impressed. simply fabulous weekend, not even deterred by the amount of money we left there in the casinos....

and even amidst a hurricane, and us having no power, my husband still managed to pull off a surprise party for me the 20th at Pappasito’s. The emotional basketcase I was, I was fighting tooth and nail to not do something “so ridiculous like go out to dinner for my birthday when our entire community has NO POWER!!!” I even cried. Oh, I cried a lot in those 13 days…. It stops being funny the 25th time you flip the switch in your closet….anyways, I went to dinner, aggravated that my husband would be such a jerk when I was totally NOT feeling it…. Only to walk into a room full of so many people it was so fabulous to see…. I was shocked at how many people made it… no power, no sitters… they still were there. Oh yeah, I cried. And then cried again. Big ol’ baby. It rocked. And I felt like the biggest jerk on the planet… and yet, in awe of how many people could LIE RIGHT TO MY FACE! Ha!

Anyways, normal is working it’s way in- our area is so damaged, it will be a long road. But lights are on, the AC is kickin’, and happy hour is back to it’s normal time.

Thank you to everyone for the awesome support, and to everyone who made it out on the 20th, and for the rock star fabulous time in Vegas…. And for all the people who took care of our loved ones while we were there, too!

Smooches,
Heather