I had been watching the news carefully. First for Hanna, then for Ike. The news was certain that Ike was to hit South TX. I didn't need to rush home. Then I woke up Thursday morning to find reports saying that Galveston was the target. It would have been to great a risk to try to drive home into Ike. I headed to Tuscaloosa, AL which were in the original plans. It was suppose to be just for a night and ended up being for 3 nights. I'm so grateful to the Bullards for their hospitality. Their four kids always make me smile. I wasn't much of a guest because I spent most of the time glued to the television watching my hometown get slammed by Ike. Saturday morning the reality hit...gas prices were through the roof and was being rationed. I had to make a plan and find people and places with gas in order to get home. After many phone calls and emails I was ready to make the 3 day drive home that I was suppose to have driven in a day. Instead of cutting down and taking I-10 home I was taking I-20 and then 59.
My first stop after Tuscaloosa, Al was Brandon, MS. I had made contact with a friend back in Waco whose parents lived there. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't have been able to find gas. After spending the night there I headed to Longview, TX. I cried when I crosses the state line. I was so thankful just to be back in TX. I was also excited to see a good friend from college and meet her new husband. It was great to catch up and they had gotten power back just before I arrived.
The drive home sobering. Just south of Longview on 59 I could already see the destruction of Ike. There wasn't any electricity until Livingston. That was also the first place I saw any gas being sold. The lines were miles long. I continued to drive straight home. The closer I got the worse things got. My family is lucky because we have power back. The house was spared even though our trees left a game of pick up sticks for us to play. It's the best someone could hope for in this situation. The devastation in incredible. People are waiting in lines for hours for water, ice, and MREs. Millions still don't have power. People can't get their pay checks. If it weren't for everyone pitching in and working together things would be even worse. Schools are trying to reopen next week. Some people have chosen to send their kids to live with relatives and enroll in school there. We have friends who have lost everything just like my aunt and uncle did in Katrina. These are hard times but we'll make it through. Gas is still rationed and groceries are limited but it's a sign of hope that grocery stores are even open and there's gas to be rationed. Our friends are over doing laundry, so I better go and spend time with them.
I'm just thankful to be home and that my family is ok. Pray for Southeast TX and Eastern LA. It's going to take a long time to get back to things as usual.
