Post storm notes

We came home to a 85 degree house last night. Our power had come on after being off for three days. As Dave put it, "the house didn't smell neutral..." Indeed it stank after three days of low and slow baking. As during so many other natural disasters, we packed up the morning after the terrifying "derecho" and headed to my parents' house, which miraculously was with power. Did anyone else who experienced the storm think of the apocalypse? The sky was pink, the lightning non-stop, the winds strong enough to break a window, and hail (which Dave claims were tree nuts) pelting the house. My heart was beating out of my chest that night. I held Rose close to me in our basement with the rest of our brood, praying to our guardian angels and our house's guardian angel as the violence commenced upstairs. They came through for us- no damage to our cars or house. Some of our neighbors weren't so fortunate.  A drive around the neighborhood yielded some pretty scary sights: trees on top of houses, an enormous oak tree completely uprooted, power lines crushed by trees... While everyone else in the basement slept that first night, I listened uneasily from the blow-up mattress on the floor to a mouse squeaking and scampering around our work room, ten feet away. Needless to say I didn't sleep that night. But as Hilary and I discussed the next day, the entire stressful experience gave rise to thoughts of those who live in hot, mouse-infested conditions subject to the elements all the time...probably most of the world. That put things in perspective. And to think of the other side of the country (our old neighborhood in Colorado Springs no less) being consumed by flames while this storm struck. I just happened to read Christ's description of the last days this morning, not without coincidence I'm sure:  "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there wil be great earthquakes in various places, and pestilences and famines, and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven....and there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations bewildered by the roaring of sea and waves; men fainting for fear and for expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the powers of heaven will be shaken." (Lk 21: 10-11, 25-27). This doesn't seem to have been the apocalypse, but it sure gave me a small taste!

On a brighter note, we had a great time communing with family over the weekend. Some highlights:

It's Audrey Hepburn! With really big legs! Ok, I was told not to publish this next one, but I figure you can't tell who Frankie is dressing up with the headscarf, right? Some anonymous person. How funny!

Puff the Magic Dragon played with impunity.

Again, go- to toy around these parts is bound to be pink. Sister bonding, below, over dress up.

And a seriously fat, happy baby.