Be Prepared

What people experienced in hurricane IKE


Being prepared if key to survival.


Just to let you know that we are doing well. We have a 6'x6' hole in our roof, no electricity or running water, Trees down everywhere. However, because we Listened to the counsel of our Prophet we are prepared. Infact it seems to me that it's only the members of the church who seem to be calm, prepared, and helping one another with trees in roofs, flooding, etc.

There is a POD or Point of Distrubution in Tomball where we live.There you get water and ice IF you have enough fuel towait in the 3 hour lines. We don't have to do that because we have 3 full water barrels, 75 juice bottlesfilled with water, and our pool which is dirty but we use it to flush.

t is very difficult to get gas. Police guard the stations when fuel is delivered and you might wait half a day to getup to the pump just to have them say, "Too bad, we are out". I am grateful that we have a generator. We run it 4 hours aday to keep our fridge and light. I am grateful that we have had fuel for it. You can't even by gas containers as they are rationed. We can only by bread once a week and limited to 2 loaves at a time. Water is rationed by the case at the grocery store 3 cases per family.

he Atm machines do not have power. For the past 6 months I have stashed small bills away because I have had such a feeling of foreboding. We have cash because of that. LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT. Get cash in small bills because the stores can't make change and credit and debit cards often don't work. I had to pay 5 dollars more for an item because they couldn't make change for me.

PHONES ONLY WORK OCCASIONALY. Believe it or not...I have not had a bath in 4 days, Today was the first day I got to wash my hair with pool water. I haven't fixed my hair in a week!!! It just doesn't matter anymore. We can not do laundry because we don't have water. So, we wear our clothes until they are literallydisgusting.

When we do finally get water we will have to boil it since it is contaminated. I am grateful for my parents. When we got low on generator fuel they drove 45 minutes to help us. They filled up thier cans and brought us 10 gallons of fuel which kept us going until this morning at 6:oo am when we finally found some gas.

A prepared Family and a loving extened family is the key to survival and making it through right now. I know that my parents would drive to the end of the earth to help me and it's nice knowing they are there. I know that I would do the same for my children.

I want all of you to know that I have such a testimony of following the counsel of our living prophet. There really is safety and peace in your heart if you are prepared. Please get your generators, 5 gas cans full of gas, canned goods,baby items, baby wipes to bathe, and all the water you canstore...even if you have to trip on it in your home. Have your lanterns, crank flashlights, tarps, rope, etc.. readyto go because you never know when it will be your turn to endure the test. It's overwhelming, but it's goingto be ok eventually. I have a home, I have food, I have water, because i listened to the counsel of the prophet.

PLease make sure you do the same. It's time to have your life in order Tomorrow may be too late. Take care!

Neat Story

I have seen the following story before but I saw it again and thought it was worth sharing.


At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?' The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.' Then he told the following story: Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.' Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat . Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, 'Shay!, Shay!, Shay! ... All the way Shay!' Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!' As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team. 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.' Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

Questions from Kamie

1. So . . . are you moving? Not yet :(

2. What is one of your favorite childhood memories? Meeting my friend Katrina after we moved.

3. What is your favorite winter activity? Playing in the snow, or ice fishing.

4. What do you miss about Sevier County? Being on the Farm.

5. What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment? (I will do something other then my kids) I think Building a buggy in the garage for a winter project, and it worked!



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Mandy

Well, we finally let Mandy go today. She was so sick so I took her up to have it taken care of and it was very sad. She was such a good dog and we have had her since before any of the kids were born. We got her not to long after we moved into this house. I thought the kids would be sad but they all just said we still have Deegan. Deegan seems upset though so the kids have been playing with him.

Nutty Putty Fun

This is a long video from our last trip.