Tuesday, August 29, 2006

WHERE WERE YOU ONE YEAR AGO TODAY?

It's like it happened yesterday. I can remember every single thing that transpired on that day. KATRINA!!! THE UGLY WORD...




I awoke at my normal 0430ish, made coffee and turned the television on to the weather station so that I could see just how close she was. I remember thinking to myself, oh my gosh, it is headed straight for out coast. I decided to get dressed and head into work to make sure that I had everything done that needed to be done for a few days just in case...Just in case was right. We actually were closed that whole week for the most part. Just stopped by to charge up the laptop and cell phones and check the mail and messages. I headed home sometime around 10:30 that morning. I think it took me almost an hour and a half just to travel 23 miles.

I was not home anytime at all until the lights went out. We had all the animals inside, and we were both at the front door just looking. I got online to see if I had a message from Michael saying that he had made it back to Iraq, but no such luck.

The next couple of hours were terrible. We watched as lots of limbs flew by. It was the worst I had ever seen. I was thinking that we should have gone further north, but when you have as many animals as we have, it is almost imposible to leave.

We finally decided to head outside with the video camera and digital camera to get some footage and pictures for Michael. What we saw was unbelievable. I honestly don't know how we were spared from one of the many trees that fell.

I look back today, and am so thankful for our family, but then I think about all those families that lost everything they had on the coast. Some of those people today, are still waiting on one of those trailers that are parked in Arkansas, and it is very doubtful that they will ever see a FEMA trailer.

My heart goes out to all the families that are still displaced.

So today, I will be thankful that our family survived one of the worst hurricane that has ever hit Mississippi, and can only hope that those folks on the coast can somehow manage to pick up the peices and move on with their lives.

Just a glimpse at one year ago today.

Unbelievable

Katrina Pictures

Aftermath Pictures

Appreciation

Small town devastation

3 comments:

kbug said...

Hurricanes can indeed be devastating...and you never forget it when you've been through one. I was a kid living in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans, when Hurricane Betsy hit there in 60 something. I remember vividly every detail of that long night...leaning into the wind before the storm actually hit, ripping plywood out of the attic floor to nail over the windows, the wind screaming around the edges of our front door that my dad had nailed shut, our neighbors coming over in the middle of the night because they feared their roof was about to blow off, watching the rain-soaked ground heave around the roots of our huge elm tree as it rocked in the wind, walking out into the backyard to look at the stars when the eye of the hurricane passed over us, the aftermath of trees down everywhere and no electricity for two weeks. No, it's not something you soon forget...that was 40 years ago and I can still picture it in my mind.

The One (I know how to be) said...

I remember this Stacy. I remember your posts and how you had to charge batteries. I remember seeing a picture of you laying on a matress typing on the computer (cute..lol) waiting for word from Michael.
I am so glad that time is over for you and pray for all them folks who are still living it today.
Also glad Ernesto quieted down. Take care lady. And know if you need to leave you can always come stay with me, even with your animals. Lil Dude would love it.

Call Me Grandma said...

What a difference a year makes. I am praying the hurricanes stay out at sea.



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