Ike Update

We've been getting lots of questions about how we are doing. Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers. We are all safe. Our house (that we are supposed sign the papers for this Friday) had only a few minor damages, so we were lucky. I am now in Utah packing up our stuff to move it to Texas and left the camera with our post hurricane pictures with Eric, so we'll post those later along with more details.
Everyone asks if it was scary, but really, the power went out about 1 a.m. on Saturday morning which is when the worst part of the hurricane was happening. It was really windy and raining hard, but it wasn't particularly scary. On the far side of our building a transformer blew and a very well-known restaurant caught on fire. The wind just fueled the flames and it took the firefighters more than four hours to put it out! We watched the flames from our building. I've never been that close to a fire like that. What was amazing was that it was pouring rain and the fire still kept burning. Here is a link if you want to read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/091308dntexbrennans.70098276.html
Even though the hurricane was almost exciting for us (probably because we didn't feel we were in any real danger); the fire, the flooding and thinking about the economic implications of the hurricane is quite sobering. It is nice to be off work, but I think about the people who work hourly jobs just to make ends meet and if they are out of work for a week because the power is out, the implications are just so much worse. We feel so blessed to have our family safe and be comfortable.
As far as our status, we still don't have power or water at our apartment and he hasn't been to work since they closed early on Thursday. Nice holiday, but it would be nicer if he had something to do or if we were together.
Eric's staying with a cousin in Sugar Land. They got power back on Saturday night. How amazing! We are so grateful he has a place to stay. Actually another family has been staying with them too, so there is a six-year-old and two eight-year-olds. Eric calls me and tells me all the games he is playing with the kids... I thought "stuffed animal olympics" would surely be his favorite. I'm sure they are loving him... I am so blessed to have a husband who is great with kids. We sure miss him! Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers!