Hurricane Ike Details - Devestating... (BTmomma) Need Prayers!!!!!!

I'm so sorry for you and your family.  I can not even imagine what you all must be going through.  Just try to stay strong and be there for each other.  You are in my thoughts!

 Prayers are being given for you and your family.   Hugs..if there is anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask.

I know you have suffered an immeasurable loss and devastation.

And you are in one piece and alive. I send good thoughts that you will find hope and a bright future at the end of this tribulation.

 Best wishes to you... BF's family lost their house back when Hurricane Andrew struck FL - the whole town was just devastated. But in a surprisingly short amount of time things were getting rebuilt, pieces were being picked up, and life was (sort of) back to normal. You can get through this. If everyone is safe and sound, just try to remember that all the rest is "just stuff." Best wishes to you and your family.

You do not have to ask Kiddo , many of us have been there.  You have our deepest wishes and sincerest prayers to guide you all through this and help your family deal.

Here are some good ideas that you may not have condsidered with all of the trauma going on.... Your family is blessed, they not only survived and have you but the fact that one of you has a place still in the area means they can come and have a command center if you will while acessing damages. You are not only skilled on a computer but have buddies like the amazing Janet Rose who can possibly help you research the info you are all going to need. Sites for insurance, fraud look outs, what ever help is out there ...

Stock your bar, keep comfort food around as much as possible and give hugs as often as you can.  Your young to be the strong one but you are capable. After Kat everyone went one and on about NOLA , they were damaged for sure but the memories of Gulfport and Biloxi are forever etched in my brain....  I drove there with supp[lies for shelters and to pick up RRs for our National, I whelped an amazing litter out of one of my pick ups.

It has taken several years but the Casinos are re-opened, the community begining to thrive and life regaining some sense of normality. The Fema trailers while small were available for years. Govt help was there.  Many chose to move, the pain and recovery was too much , but more stayed and rebuilt.  There are many amazing groups and as this is the Presidents' and a Former President's home state I think it would be safe to think all stops will be pulled all the bells and whistles in place to speed recovery.

God Bless and know how grateful we aas your friends are you were out of harms way with your dogs and family!

An enourmous Gulf Coast Hug !!  

Bonita of Bwana

 You are in my thoughts. This is a terrible thing to go through.

Sending you and your family lots of good vibes during this terrible time.  It's easy for us to say that everything lost was not important, and that what matters is that everyone is alive and safe.  However, the reality of losing EVERYTHING, even if it is just stuff, has got to be devastating.  Yes, in time you can rebuild a house, replace furniture and comforts of home, etc.  But, as you said, some things are simply not replaceable, and I'm sure there's a grief process for such losses.  I remember a family in my hometown lost everything in a house fire when I was younger.   One of their kids was a friend of my sister's, and she was beside herself with the loss of important treasures that had nothing but sentimental value.  I can't imagine how everyone in your family is feeling -- our thoughts are with all of you.  May you find strength each day to face the obstacles ahead as everyone recovers from this.

Tracy makes an excellent point. For someone like myself who has never suffered a loss like you and your family, it's impossible for me to truly understand what you and your family are going thru. I am so very sorry and I only hope that you get the assistance you need to rebuild your lives as quickly as possible. I remind myself when I see these stories of the few days our AC was out and our temps were 100+. I was miserable and whined like a baby. It was a minor inconvenience compared to what people who've lost their homes are going thru. My heart goes out to all of you and I hope that you've got a safe, comfortable place to at least rest and take care of each other.

cakana

 I remind myself when I see these stories of the few days our AC was out and our temps were 100+. I was miserable and whined like a baby. It was a minor inconvenience compared to what people who've lost their homes are going thru.

Isn't that the truth?  I remember carrying on when that storm in January knocked the power out for about 36 hrs. while elsewhere people were dealing with horrific ice storms and loss of power for up to two weeks or longer. Please know all of our thoughts and prayers are with you.  I wish we were close enough to be of some real help.

Joyce

I feel for you & your family this is a hard time, I feel for any one affected by Ike. Take care & try to stay as positive as you can, things will work out & we are always strong enough to pull thru things but sometimes in the moment it feels impossible. I am thinking of you guys & sending positive vibes.

Everyone has said good things -- when I was graduating from high school (literally 2-3 days before graduation-- finals were all done and graded) the river we all lived in rose not once but twice and the vast majority of our town lost EVERYTHING.  While people moved everything outside after the storm that caused the river to rise, the river went back up (from rain further up river) and literally washed everything away. 

Flooding is a whole different type of nightmare than wind damage because everything stinks for so long even after the water recedes. 

So, ok -- I understand. 

DON'T give in to depression.  Please ... don't you dare!  Why?  Because things are just that ... they are **THINGS**.  You know what -- even pictures  ... they are things.  The  memories are in your heads.  No one can take that away. 

Would it have been better for the things to have been spared and the lives lost?  Of course not.  Because now you can all make MORE memories. 

The memories you will make climbing out of this will be precious.  The family will learn to pull together.  Being there to give Grandma and Grandpa that hug?  THAT is the important thing.  For Grandma and Grandpa to **see** the family pull together ... to see what they have *taught* their family be put into practice ... THAT will be important.

So you encourage your family ... To keep trying ... to keep striving ... to rebuild.  To keep on. 

Maybe this is the time someone who has really always wanted to move to Florida or California -- maybe this will be the time they do that.  To make changes where you have to. 

It is the challenges of time that make us strong.  Everything Bonita said is gold -- about using your condo as a command center.  Tempers will be frayed and times will be hard, but you can all get together and encourage each other.

But to do that *you* have to make that extra effort to help pump them up -- to not let yourself get discouraged.  Because you've got each other.  You've got LIFE. 

Of course they aren't letting people into the city -- **BECAUSE** there are snakes and gators everywhere.  Some people are too dumb to stay out of places like that -- and there will be sewage and disease all over.  So help folks find the good part of all the bad.  "Well, maybe they won't let us in, but at least we're not gator bait tonight!!"

"When the going gets tough ... the tough get going".  It's not just a trite saying ... it's *how* you begin to put one foot ahead of the other.  Not doing what you *want* but doing what needs to be done. 

And we'll be here to help prop you up -- network all you can.  Like Bonita says -- you can do a lot on the computer to locate the things people need, and the help they need. 

We'll sure be here with prayers and good thots. 

I know my husband's company, Orange Lake Resorts -- after  Katrina they told people that anyone who wanted to relocate to Florida could have a job if they wanted it.  Folks who had nothing ... some of them DID take them up on their offer and were well treated. 

Chin up -- it is VERY scarey, but you will find as time passes that you will build incredible strength as a result of this.  Just take step after step and keep moving forward.

 As Bonita said, you don't have to ask.  We've been praying for you and yours the whole time, and will continue to do so.  I just wish there was more I could do.

 I was up all that night watching the Weather Channel.  I was horrified at how the storm just kept pummeling that area.  They'd say something about it every so often but all the focus was on Galveston and Houston.  I didn't understand.  Then I looked at a map of population density.  Oh yeah.  Well, you know that overage of the more densely populated area would draw more viewers. I was so aggravated.  They had one guy in Beaumont and at one point in the night they went to him and he was holding onto something with his feet practically blowing behind him, and then he got torn away, went rolling down the street, and everything went black.  And they never said a word about it.  I'm so glad you were able to report something.  I had my laptop at the convention and at every break I whipped it out and checked here to see if you'd been able to get in touch with everyone.

God bless your family and I hope they find someway to begin the world again with some semblance of order and peace.

YIKES, I am so sorry this happened to you guys, but sooo happy that noone was hurt. I'm thinking of you guys, keep us updated