Hurricane Rita part two

Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005

Matt and Shelbea decided we should go out to James and Julie McRight's since they don't have so many trees around and have a newer brick home. As we head out, not a long drive, it is already raining here. The hurricane has already moved inland but we don't know much yet. We get to the McRight's and James is out helping at the camp. Julie and her son Ian are mopping water out of their mud room with a wet vac. They had cable so we could watch the storm and get some news. The phone rings and the hay barn has blown over and is out in the road. Matt goes out to help move the tin out of the road and James heads home to help.

Next the power goes out and we are left with no TV and mopping water with towels and wringing them out by hand. We watch the winds and rain through the many windows at James and Julie's 2 yr. old house, but we were never really afraid. We ate lunch and kept waiting for "the worst part" which never really came. The chicken house door flew open and Julies dog grabbed a rooster and killed it which was about the height of our excitement. We decided to see if we could make it back to Matt and Shelbea's although we kept calling the house and knew that if the answering machine was working they must still have power. Both thier rent house and their new house in progress fared just fine and they never lost power completely. Praise God!

They did have some leaves and limbs in their yard but everything was fine there. God is still watching over us. Matt returns to the camp to help out that night after he and I make tacos and rice for our family. I am so thankful for Matt and Shelbea and Eli and for God providing us a place to stay with family. A refuge in the time of storm!

Poor Mile, he stayed in a pen under the carport with Matt's 2 dogs and got a little ( lot) wet from the blowing rain and wind. Abby has been so good. Not using the bathroom inside at all. Although I forgot to mention that she was in heat since our trip down Thursday night, a trip which lasted 15 1/2 hours!