January Comes to a Close

So today is the last day of January. So many things have changed this month and I have a new outlook in many aspects of life. One tornado a week and a day ago has changed so much for me in a few seconds, but I know that there are many blessings to come out of this truly tragic event.
This morning the school had a small gift for the parents as part of Catholic Schools Week. It is always a fun morning in carpool when they do this. The kids are excited and it means a lot to me that they do this for the parents. Having my boys in Catholic School is definitely not easy, but I know that it is what they need and that it will make them the best that they can be throughout life.
One more load of laundry and I will be done, well caught up. As you all know laundry never really ends. I was so proud of this very small feat though. Of course I left it on the bed, which does not make Brandon very happy. I will get better on that note.
The boys' had great days today and did pretty good at basketball practice. John Michael was not feeling it as much as Danny, but that is okay. He will get there.
Well, I am off to bed, I was so far behind on my blog mainly because until tonight I have sat down and fallen asleep. Things will get better.

Back to a Routine Sort Of

Brandon headed back to work, the boys to school, and me, well laundry was on the to do list and then some. Of course there was so much going on that I did not even get half of what I wanted to get done but it is okay. Mom and I were able to get some things done that had to be done and that is definitely the most important thing right now as she starts rebuilding her life.
Brandon said that it was a long day, and I definitely believe that. He said everyone asked about mom, and all of us, which is so appreciated. I wish that they would have given him the time off with pay and without having to use his PTO, but I am very thankful that he had it.
Catholic Schools week is this week and my name was mud with John Michael because today was hat day and I had no idea. He never brought his bag upstairs, and I never thought to check his folder because of everything that was going on. Hopefully I will do better.
I will get my list of stuff done as soon a possible, and it will all work out. Nancy, thank you so much for dinner, it was delicious and enjoyed by everyone. Again the outpouring of support from so many people has been so touching, I honestly cannot even begin to truly explain.
I cannot believe that it has been one week since the tornados changed so many things for me. I will get into this soon.

Walk Through

Sunday morning we headed to mom's early. We wanted to walk through the house and make sure there was nothing there. Then it was on to storage. This is where we needed help and again so many friends came through. Thank you all.
I was pretty convinced that Metro would add a sign to their location about children. The kids had so much fun playing cops and bad guys while we unloaded the truck. This was no easy task and before we could begin we had to rearrange the storage buildings and pray that they would be able to hold everything. Going back through these is going to be a task to say the very least. Again to Metro, thank you so much for everything you have been great to work with.
Amy and Terry and the kids came back to the house and hung out for a while. Amy even made dinner for all of us and it was so good. I know that she was exhausted after two days of helping. I cannot tell you what it meant to us, thank you.

Helping Hands

Saturday was moving day. The boy's decided to miss their basketball games and help at Nana's. This was a decision that they made on their own and made me so proud. They are growing up to be truly amazing children. I cannot explain in the blog how proud I was of them.
So many people showed up to help pack up mom's house. We knew that the upstairs we could get but the basement was going to be a challenge. So many memories and so much stuff. I have a list of thank yous I know that I will leave people out but to everyone, all I can say is you have no idea what it meant to me, Brandon, my mom, and even my boys to have your help physically and mentally.
We took one load to storage, well Brandon and the men did. Metro was amazing to work with and I recommend them to everyone who needs a truck or a storage unit. They helped us in so many ways and they were so understanding and patient. Thanks to everyone at Metro.
There was so much to go through in the basement and I hate to think about everything that was destroyed. It is just sad, a lot of memories, will soon be a pile of rubble.

It's A Total Loss

So this morning I went to reserve a large truck from Metro after I dropped the boys off at school.

They were excited because today was an out of uniform day. I went to the home and school meeting on Tuesday and that is the reward. I would go anyway, but this incentive is what makes them push me to go, even after a day like this Tuesday.

This morning the foundation engineer met mom and Brandon at her house at 8:00. After about 10 minutes he made the call to total the house. He said that it is safe for us to continue moving out but it is not repairable. This was the news that we knew was coming, but it is still not easy to hear.

I got the boys from school and we headed back to work. Almost all of my mom's upstairs is cleaned out. Well, what is being kept is boxed up, and what is not is either still there on the floor or is in bags. With a bulldozer coming I am not stressing about the trash or about what is being left behind. If it is damaged we have taken pictures of it so that she can itemize her list for the insurance company. If it is just not needed or wanted it is just there.

Tomorrow is finishing everything off upstairs and tackling the garage. Right now I am get it done mode, but I also am an emotional wreck. There is so much to do and so little time so that is definitely keeping me motivated.

Thank you again to everyone who came out today and helped. Mrs. Terri the cookies were amazing and so were the sandwiches, but those cookies....Wow! Mr. Mike, thank you so much for helping go to storage and getting that process really underway. Beth and Brandon thank you again! Packing up and taking out means so much. To the guys and girls from Trussville High School. Thank you so much for helping get the truck on its way to loaded and for all of the boxes. Sonia thank you for the help packing and the boxes, tape, and bags. To Regions thank you for the hot hamburgers! To everyone thank you!

Mud Surfing...Maybe?

So today I decided not to send the boys to school. With the weather as nasty as it was we needed the extra hands to get as much packed as we possibly can. I was worried that the weather would get bad, and I just needed us all together. Maybe it was selfish on my part I really do not know, but tomorrow they will go back.
The packing got started hard and heavy today and progress was made. The kitchen is almost done. Mom's bedroom is completely done. I still have to do her bathroom, but I will aim for there tomorrow. My old room was already pretty much done, but now all but the closet is done. The living room has been packed up. And well, progress was definitely made.
The rain today was not fun, it turned my mom's yard into a muddy mess. Walking down her little hill seemed more like a mountain covered in ice. I had to laugh because I had gotten a new pair of black pants for myself for Christmas. They are now mud and insulation covered and have several holes and well by the time this is over they will definitely make great work pants. They have been comfortable though, and for that I am very thankful. Pants can easily be replaced.
Thank you so much to Amy and Chandler, and to Beth for coming and helping. Through the tears, which were minimal it is just hard for anyone who grew up in Clay to be here and not be emotional. Through the laughs, because if we did not laugh we would cry. Through the rain and mud, and buddy that made everything a little more difficult. Just through it all, thank you so much.
Beth and I uncovered a few hidden treasures that I knew would mean a lot to my mom, and it did. One example was the knife from her and dad's wedding that we looked and looked for when Brandon and I got married. Now we have it and she is thankful. When Brandon and I renew our vows we will definitely be using it. Just something positive to think about.
Today the activity around was definitely lighter, the rain kept most people indoors. I cannot say that I blame them.
To the American Red Cross, thank you for the hot meals. To Beth, Amy, and Chandler thank you again your help and the boxes meant so much. To Nick, thank you for the Durango. To everyone and anyone who I forgot thank you. Anyone who has ever been through this knows that there are no words to describe how much everyone's help means to all of us, but I will keep trying. Oh yeah, thank you for the people at Metro who helped so much with getting mom storage for this interim period.

The First Flood

This morning was the first school Mass that I missed. And while I wanted to and feel like I needed to go I also knew that I was needed at mom's and I know that God knows that. The boys' said that they would definitely thank Jesus for keeping so many people safe and to please continue to do so.

After I dropped the boys off I picked mom up. She was ready to go. We made our first venture down Old Springville Road since Sunday. This was a horrific sight and one that will forever be with me. Nothing is the same. The landscape has forever been changed. So many amazing memories, learning how to drive for one that all seemed to take place on Old Springville Road. While the road is still there it does not look the same.

Now to mom's.

So today we waited and waited on the insurance man. In the meantime we cleaned out the deep freezer and the refrigerator and freezer and took inventory so that she can get reimbursed for everything that she lost. This was the easy part of the day.

When we made our walk through for the morning and the rest of the ceiling in my old room had come down and was on the floor. This was unbelievable sight to see. She had her China and Crystal from when her and dad got married there and it was also on the ground. While there is a monetary value, the sentimental value for her cannot be matched.

Brandon headed to the attic to see what he could get out and down came my childhood or what was left of it. I guess when I was about 13 and wanted a "big girl's room" I packed up all of the things that I could not get rid of to save for when I had a little girl. Well, there was no saving them. While the value was all sentimental except for my Little Women Madam Alexander Dolls there is a lot to be said about watching it all come down.

When I started to really go through I had gotten the boys from school. There was actually a few things that they wanted so we boxed them up as they looked salvageable, just need some good cleaning. So many things went to the garbage. 6 bags of my childhood.

My first jewelry box. i remember dad buying it for me when I got my ears pierced. My Valentine teddy bear that daddy gave me when I was almost 8 years old. The baby doll that I had and played with so much that her head had to be reattached several times, even when I went to daycare for the first time and the wicked woman was so mad that I was up asking her that she locked me in a closet. My cheerleader uniforms from the days of cheering for the Huffman Raiders where I met some of the most amazing people that I am still in contact with. This list could go on for day, but that gives you an idea of where I was on memory lane all day. There were a few things that made me laugh, and that is what I chose for the picture today.

I would like to thank again all of the volunteers who have given of their time and talents to help. Thank you to Home Depot who took the time to come out and bring boxes full of things that will definitely be useful. Thank you to Chick-fil-A for the HOT chicken sandwhiches for lunch. Thank you to Shane Shirley who took the time out to get look at mom's house and give an opinion from a builder's perspective. Thank you to all of the people that I know I am forgetting. You have all done so much and it means so much! Thank you Mr. Ken and Lance for the boxes, they will definitely be useful as we start this packing process hard and heavy tomorrow.

Well, again a shower and the bed are calling my name. Until tomorrow!