Today, I took a shower. And put on clean clothes. I used deodorant, brushed my teeth, used my favorite purple comb to comb my hair and put my bangs up with a bobby pin that was resting haphazardly with a bunch of other stuff in my jewelry box.
Normally, this would not be so significant.
At this time (4PM) yesterday, Roger and I were standing in front of his mother and stepdad's house watching the roof and windows get boarded up after a major house fire that rendered their home unlivable.
Even writing that is strange. But it happened. We watched the flames come through the roof. We watched the firefighters work with ladder trucks and hoses and hatchets to contain and eventually put out the fire. The smoke detectors had worked, one of Roger's 20-something brothers was home and a renter who lives with them was home. The detectors went off and they got out, shoe-less and phone-less. And good thinking on their part, as the rear of the house was already actively burning.
We found neighbors willing to provide one of brothers who was home at the time with a shirt and some shoes, as he ran out of the burning house in just shorts. We chased away guys with clipboards who wanted them to sign a contract to rebuild... really guys? (Seriously, I will make sure everyone I talk to knows how insensitive your representative and company was to be hounding a man who is watching his home and belongings burn.) No one should be asked to sign anything the day of a house fire, as their minds are complete mush. We helped provide ages and names to the Red Cross. We helped to gather all the donations coming in. We really didn't know what to do, but we tried to do something. I kept wondering where the manual was for this.
The community support was AMAZING and unbelievable. Churches dropped off clothing for the boys and toiletries for the whole family. Friends and neighbors came with cash and gift cards, shoes and sweatshirts. Someone pulled up and unloaded 5 cases of bottled water. The owners and managers of local restaurants came by with free food for the family and people helping. Neighbors offered space to sit with Red Cross reps and bathrooms to those in need. It was a truly awesome sight to see the goodness in people come out and shine on an otherwise awful event.
Perspective. For everyone. Someone we know went out and bought smoke detectors for their house today, as they had lived on assumption before. Several people I know went home and checked their own smoke detectors for working connections and fresh batteries. Almost everyone thanked God is some way for sparing the lives of the 2 in the house and the 4 that weren't home.
And beyond that, Mark, one of the homeowners, whose catchphrase has always been, "Never had a bad day in our lives..." was still answering his phone with that same phrase today. They don't get to use their own shower, put on their own clean clothes or use their own combs. They are homeless, shell-shocked and in disbelief, but also loved, thankful and appreciative of what they have.
PS - Please go check your smoke detectors...!
Welcome to our little piece of the web! This blog began as a way to update family with our progress on renovating a local farmhouse that we purchased in 2012, but it quickly morphed into family and life updates as our small business took off and we added more children to the family. Click on the "Farmhouse Updates" label on the right for Farmhouse Progress.
