We like Ike!

Okay, not really. But, for us Ike did not do too much harm. We got home around 2am Monday morning after spending hours in the Temple Walmart stocking up on supplies. Damage wasn't that bad. We lost our huge oak tree in the back yard (I think I mentioned that already) and it took out the back fence (I think I mentioned that also, but oh well). When I woke up Monday morning I was determined that this was going to be the most miserable week of my life. No electricity, no water, and no school to entertain 5 of my 6 kiddos. I could not have been more wrong.
My husband was out of work all last week so I got to have him to myself all week. It was such a blessing (we don't know if he's getting paid for this week, but we'll leave those worries for the Big Guy). Greg hasn't had a "vacation" in the 8 1/2 years we've been together. The weather could not have been more pleasant. We threw open every window in the house (which is a lot) and just let the breeze continue to blow through. We bar-b- qued with my family, we played games, we read books, we talked and most of all we were together. All week we hardly left the side of each other (which is comical when you consider there are 8 of us!). The kids found hours of entertainment climbing on the fallen tree and they even discovered this new game they call hide and seek. We counted the rings on the tree, we worked together cleaning up the limbs, and we even captured a new "pet" for the kids to watch (a black widow that I lovingly named Charlotte).
I cleaned my house (as best I could) and thought of creative things for lunch and dinner. Our hurricane menu included homemade pizzas (on the grill), Raviolis, sausage, peanut butter and jelly and loads of other fun stuff. My kids thought it was fabulous! I read three books and Greg pittered around the house (not accomplishing much of anything, but that's okay - he works hard every other time). It was great to see my kiddos playing and pretending, learning, laughing and living. No one yelled to watch tv, no fighting on who's turn it was to pick the dvd, no yelling from me that they've been playing video games too long. Although the hurricane was a horrible experience for a lot of people (and I continue to pray for those) it was a great lesson in life for me. I CAN live without the luxuries of life and, to be honest, I think these luxuries have gotten in the way of "life". Now I think I will go home, turn off the tv, and see which of my kids think they have what it takes to beat me at cards!