ICE ICE GO AWAY!

I am at home today with all of my children accounted for! This may not make much sense but, by the time you read the rest of this post, you'll understand! We started out our weekend by having a game/movie night with our great friends, the McVey's. Sunday, went to church, drove Jeff to the airport for a business trip, took Caleb home and enjoyed great fellowship after evening church. Monday we woke up waiting for the "ice storm of Jan 09" to come in. Sent the kids off to school knowing that it would be moving in around noon and would have to get them early possibly. They did call school at around 2:00. I was in the middle of getting preparations for an upcoming board meeting so I couldn't leave work until about 3:00. When I left, I had to sit for a little while in the parking lot to defrost the ice from my windshields. I actually wound up getting out of the truck with a credit card (yes, Dave Ramsey, they are good for one thing!!) and scraping my windows. The 20 minute commute that I have took me an hour and a half!!! By the time I got home I was so tense from driving that I was hurting. When I got home I realized my son had not made it home. He was an hour late. Panic started setting in. I got in touch with the bus driver only to have her phone go dead in the middle of the conversation....where are they? Are they ok? Is he hurt? You know how it would be in your mind!!! My friend Michelle (who got her bus in a ditch & it fell over) let me know that they were stuck somewhere and that the transportation department was trying to find out where. OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!! Where is my child!!! By 5:45 I got word from the bus barn of their location! Super mom to the rescue!!! The ice??? Did I really want to get out and drive on this AGAIN? No but, I had to do what a Mom had to do! I drove (ever so slowly) over to where they were stuck. The wrecker was already there and had gotten the bus out of the ditch. A lovely couple had opened up their home in the neighborhood and let the children come in and watch a movie while they all waited on the bus or their parents to come and get them. I guess I was the first...call me anxious!! It was even hard trying to get in the neighborhood. I kept sliding when I would stop the truck. I finally backed into a drive way of a model home and prayed that it would stay in one spot while I got out and went to find my boy!! He was safe and sound and of course thought it was the coolest thing ever!! He told me kids were crying and their bus driver was in tears...I felt so sorry for her! Gotta get her a gift card to a restaurant to let her know how thankful I was to her for keeping my child safe!! What a hero! I finally made it home at 6:30. Three and a half hours from the time I left work until we all got safe and sound at home! I melted into a puddle onto the couch after all of that! I didn't cook, the kids ate cereal and I laid on the couch all night! Hannah felt sorry for me and massaged my feet for me. She also got a wild hair and started cleaning the living room, kitchen, putting up dishes from the dishwasher and doing whatever I needed. Why can't she stay in my home everyday. Tomorrow I'm sure I'll have my "normal" Hannah back!! ha-ha Here's what it is looking like outside my front door. This freezing rain/sleet started falling yesterday (Monday)about 2:00 and is still falling as I type this blog. We are in for it! At least, thank the Lord, we have heat & electricity this time!! I am thankful for everyone being home safe and sound and for food to eat and a place to lay our heads! The birds are all over my back deck eating the bird seed back there. The cats are crouching by my back french doors watching them, chattering at them and wishing they could get out there. It's the funniest sight!! I am working from home today. Have a lot to accomplish for work! The kids are playing the wii or watching tv and all is well & quiet here at home! I pray your families are well & keeping warm this winter season!!