falling summer

So we're back in town. Its still a mess here, inside and outside. We are so grateful we were able to escape this powerless part of the world (i don't say that lightly 490,000+ are still out of power).
Its nice and weird to be back.
A new season is blowing in, it's supposed to be fall but it still feels like summer. I would love to switch to my cardigans and boots, but I am forced to continue in my flip flops and v-necks. No hot drinks or soup, just iced drinks and chicken salad. Soon change will come then I will feel more at home.

7 days and counting

Well it's been one entire week since we entertained Ike and Ryan Espen and I are still in Dallas. The power went out at 1:15 am saturday, and we lived without power for a good 14 hours then decided to leave. We are staying with our very close friends Caleb and Aina and Charlotte. It has been so weird feeling at home and displaced all at once. I mean when we decided to go to Dallas I quickly packed some things for Espen and 2 days worth of clothes for me. I had no idea it would be this long away from our house. We got word today that we might be getting power on monday night. It's just crazy.
We are totally in a blessed place though, being able to leave Houston! There have been thousands of people living in their homes without power and some without water. I told our family the other night I don't ever want to take for granted pulling up to a gas pump, fill up and zoom off. So many people have driven and waited for hours to get gas in their cars. People in our area would use their cars for AC when it got too hot and their car was a place to charge their phone. We also heard today that though there are several places in Houston that have power and water, other areas might not get power till mid October.

Please continue to pray for those who have yet to rebuild their lives and homes due to this big crazy storm.

all gone

so this morning we went to the doc to follow up on little E (he's so much better btw), and we decided to stop in at HEB just to see what everyone is getting and what's left. We were met at the door by an HEB employee yelling "we close at 10 am and we have ice". So we just pushed the stroller around picking up just a few things. Everyone here in North Houston will be in the storm when it reduces to a Tropical storm level, well thats what 'they're' saying. I don't even know what that means. We are planning for power outages. Our doc this morning said that when Rita came the power was out for 5 days. Well in that case we'll drive to Dallas for AC.
Here's a pic of the bread and water aisle but don't worry they were fully stocked with hair color.

Ike!

So I'm sitting here waiting on our company Ike to get here...well hopefully he won't "get here". It was crazy to see the ENTIRE target bread and water section empty. The lines at the pumps are may-jore; I talked to a friend in Sugarland today and she said they were out of gas--most all of the pumps. I mean I've never really experienced this...how do you really plan for a hurricane? How do you prepare? Bread, Water, Non-perishables? And what if they're out? Ryan and I have been back and forth on the phone all day, "Do we leave? Do we stay? Should we get a candle or two? Good thing we got gas the other day. I'll pack something just in case." I mean what the heck?! So we decided to get a can of beans, baby food, some kind of gourmet oat bread, and charge the flashlight. So don't be alarmed family members. We also are charging the portable dvd player. It'll be fun if the power goes out.
This is all so weird.

Espen is doing so great! He loves to open and close doors, climb back and forth on the couch squealing then stop to sit and put his head back for a tiny rest; he loves feeling like a big boy. He loves to be chased, he just laughs and tries to escape. He just got over and nasty eye and ear infection...snot is still bubbling from his face. He's oh so lovable and cute, we decided to keep him. :)

Well I'm watching the neighbors board up their windows as I write this, which makes me a little nervous, and Ryan just came in saying the other neighbors were leaving....we'll be ok...I mean we have beans, and a charged dvd player.

Reflecting

We have been away in Ft. Morgan, Alabama for a Duckworth Family vacation. Though I've had phone calls from people with concerns of how it might be storming, we have had sun and sun and sun and tons of beach time. Espen has had great fun with his little cousins Kynzie and Celia.
While on vacay Espen has learned to say uh-oh (a variation of it anyway), and doo-wah, doo-wah, doo-wah. He has also learned to yell in the direction of his cousins to get their attention....or just yell really.
Of course we just found out that a storm is headed our direction--perfect time, since its our last day here.
I will post pics later.

I'm glued to CNN right now, not really a new thing, but I'm caught up in the Biden motorcade leaving Delaware, and wondering why Obama took so long in letting it out who his pick was. I love the speculations about Obama leaving it such a secret and then wondering if he will make the White House and the business therein secret as well.
I also love hearing that Obama and Biden are headed to Springfield, Il, the city where I was born.

Also our hearts are still heavy and our thoughts and prayers are daily with our friends Caleb and Aina. We got word that Caleb's dad passed away rather quickly during a heart-attack on the way to the hospital on Wednesday night the 20th . It shook Ryan and myself realizing how quickly life can slip through our hands. Please pray for The Carruth family.

More Later,

Lindey

More from under the living room lights

Just wanted to put more stuff up from the concert we had at the house last week.
I won't soon forget that night...

i'm ready...

you're driving me CUP...

Just sitting flipping channels tonight and another Sonic commercial made me laugh out loud.

please enjoy...

ryan