Home Sweet Home

As I sit down to blog tonight, it's earlier than usual, & I am so tired I cannot stop yawning. Being out in the cold all day is wearing. As the sleet/rain began this afternoon, I began to chill. I really didn't warm up until I arrived hours later at my daughter's house for a hot cup of cocoa. At one point,  I shook the fluffy bits of insulation out of my favorite blanket, wrapped myself up, sat amongst the shattered glass, & just absorbed my surroundings (kind of in a daze). I find myself in a daze quite frequently these days.

Today our insurance adjuster came (all the way from Texas). He spent several hours inspecting our damage. The verdict is in... our home can be rebuilt. Parts of it can be salvaged. He credits this to the large beam in the ceiling of our garage. He says that's what held a few of our walls in place. Wow! Again, I found myself in a catatonic state. I don't know what I expected, but it apparently wasn't that. This one little fact quickly changed my outlook. I don't really know why, but suddenly, I began to have a sense of hope, a hope of possibly residing again in my Home Sweet Home.

Today was a day of reconnecting with neighbors. Tears were shed. A new bond has formed. Here we are in a state of shock & distress. We all feel brain dead. I guess it's like waking up from a bad dream only to find out it is not a dream. It is our reality. We have been thrust into making decisions we are unprepared to make. We are overwhelmed with what this clean up process requires. We are surrounded by devastation.

However, as always, a few treasures cannot be ignored. They remind me of flowers that somehow ease their way up through cracks in the sidewalk. I would be remiss if I didn't share them. After all, it's these sweet surprises that are getting us through each relentless day. So, here goes...

#1 Dear friends have offered us beautiful living quarters. They even blessed me with a care package.  #2  My youngest arrived today with a crew of helping hands from her college. #3  Four Bradley students showed up & spent hours cleaning our debris. #4  A friend offered to help store our belongings. #5  Samaritan's Purse lent us a hand & raked our yard (front, back, & sides).  #6  Men arrived early this morning & finished packing & removing our valuables. #7  A dear friend came with 3 others, & they oversaw all of the yard work. #8 My daughter fixed us lunch. #9  A church brought us dinner. # 10  I got to feed my grandson his bedtime bottle. # 11  My lil Godson sent us a precious video message. #12 My friend ended her vacation early to come home & help.

Tangible kindness is expressed throughout each day. This kindness keeps us human. It gets us through the rough moments. It softens our hearts. It gives us hope. It is sunshine in the storm. It actually gives our minds a break from focusing on our losses & the overwhelming job we have ahead of us. It magically takes an unbearable situation & makes it bearable. A loving hand along this journey called Life makes all the difference in the world.