What A Crock: Keep Calm and...

Friday, September 21, 2012

Keep Calm and...

One year ago today, September 21, 2011, fire destroyed our home.

Our crock pot shorted out and started a fire that would destroy our home.

My oldest daughter called screaming in terror for me to come home. The kids took refuge with a neighbor while the Big Guy shouted instructions to the firemen about where our pets were located.

The fire department reported the fire as fully engaged and called for 2 additional trucks from a neighboring fire department for support. They assigned one unit to pet rescue and drained a pumper truck of water into our home. It took 8 minutes to contain the flames.

I drove in frenzy to reach my family. I found my family, shook up but safe...the dogs black with soot and suffering heat exhaustion...and the house...

Destroyed.

The ceilings and walls black with soot. Fixtures melted and contorted.

Sap running out of the wood.

Furniture burned and melted.

Insulation and water and broken glass everywhere.

The destruction took my breath away.

It's been a year. We've lived in two hotels. We've lived in two rental houses. We've lived in limbo. No stability. We've lost nearly every tangible memory we'd collected in our two decades together.

This fire has rocked our world. It has mangled a year of our lives. It has made me angry, sad, scared, insecure, frustrated...you name it, I've probably felt it. We all have.

There are days when we want to scream "STOP THIS RIDE I WANT TO GET OFF NOW!"

But that wouldn't really work.

So, we just...