We have had an outbreak of Wildfires in the Austin Area recently. Unfortunately, our neighborhood was one of the ones affected. Here's how it all went down...
It was labor day weekend, Sunday afternoon. After church, all four of us took naps. We had all just woken up, and made out way downstairs to lounge when both of our cell phones started ringing. Jon answered and it was our neighbor telling us there was fire near the entrance of our hood. He said people were being asked to evacuate.
We live in a huge master planned community. There ate something like 4,000 homes, and really only one way out. We figured that it might get crazy if lots of people started evacuating at the same time, so we decided to pack up and "beat the rush."
At this point we thought, the entrance might get blocked, or we would hit a lot of traffic. We didn't really know what we were packing for but opted to pack stuff to stay overnight somewhere just in case. I also grabbed our computer on the off chance our house was going to burn down. But truly, I didn't think that was a real possibility.
Once we got out of the neighborhood, we started getting more information, and realized the situation was much worse than we thought. Soon, mandatory evacuations were required for the entire neighborhood, and it took people hours to get out.
We checked into a hotel with our neighbors, and went to dinner. By this time, the fore was burning and spreading out of control. Jon thought our house had about a 50/50 chance of survival. I was a basket case...thinking of all the things I hadn't packed...baby books, photo albums, etc. I realized how attached to the "stuff" I was! Jon remanded me that we had the only things that mattered, each other and the kids, and that wee are going to be ok.
I hardly slept that night. Mostly because I shared a bed with Caroline, who is like a corkscrew :) Also, because I kept checking my phone for updates on the neighborhood.
By the next morning (Monday) we felt much more at ease, and were feeling like our house was probably fine. We spent the rest our evacuation time, trying to have fun with the kids.
Caroline LOVED the hotel. We swam, went to the mall, watched tv in bed, etc.
Miles's little area...
Caroline sprawled out in her bed...
Having fun at the mall!
Monday night I went to a friends house to do laundry (thank you Meghan and Philip!) we hadn't planned to be gone so long and definitely had not packed appropriately!?!
Tuesday was the kids' first day of school, and the school was so sweet to provide lunch and anything else the kids needed!
We didn't have our backpacks, so my little evacuees took plastic bags instead ;)
Later that day, we finally refunded home! We were so blessed to have a home to return to. So many lost everything :(
We are settled back in and the kids are doing great at school. They both have fabulous teachers and are having a wonderful year!
Here they are on their way in with their backpacks. Miles wants to be just like his big Sis :)
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