Thanks for the good thoughts

Okay my attempt to respond to all your wonderful wishes.
Teresa. I am so glad to hear you guys are okay. I wanted to call you but have been so overwhelmed with my own family I haven't had a chance. I think I actually did call once but I can't say for sure I didn't just think about it.

Gina. I can't believe that OH got that bad storm. Darren has a cousin living there who I heard also lost power. It was pretty intense living through it. I am still in shock by it honestly. I know that this too shall pass. I keep telling myself that. I would love your opinions about our food choices. I am trying to make things a bit easier and trying to figure out how to do that. Suggestions? I can't say that TX is much better than OH.

Rule Maker. I know that I shouldn't be so hard on myself but I can't help it. I worry terribly that my children will look back and remember how horrible I was in the hard times and forget all the great things I do for them.

Audrey. Thanks for the offer but I wouldn't count on it. You know I am way too protective to send my kids anywhere by themselves.

Barbara. I know you have been sending us well wishes and we appreciate it. We know your house is always welcome. It just isn't convenient to get to. Thanks for the offer though.

Angela. My parents lost power and just got it back last night. I think that in the next week we should have power, barring major damage in our neighborhood. I am keeping my fingers crossed and praying. 2 weeks is enough.

Heather. Glad to hear you got back home. We were offered a generator by a coworker of Darrens but couldn't risk taking Daniel to an unfiltered air system with his asthma. We were offered a hepa filter as well so we will be setting that up in the apartment and hoping for the best. We are in the finally slated for Thursday group. Please, Please, Please!

Trent and Mark. WOW! What a generous showing of love. We know we are really loved if you would offer to take Dakota a second time. She is such a little trouble maker (trying to watch my language as there are kids that may read this) Thank you.

Side Note:I didn't mean to make it seem like we haven't enjoyed ourselves at Darren's parents. We have!! We have just been so stressed and in transition it has been impossible to relax. We spent all our time here figuring out what was going on in Houston, doing laundry, etc. When we went to college station it just felt like I was home, more likely it felt like a vacation. The kids could just run around crazy and I didn't have to worry about them breaking stuff. We had an entire floor to ourselves so I wasn't worried about waking them up. They cooked us meals and I spent the 3 hrs that Darren had the boys at the football game drinking a beer and chatting with old friends. Uri was like a grown kid, playing with Darren and the boys with all the happy meal toys. He had long ridiculous philosophical / political discussions with Ian. It was just relaxing and a nice slow change of pace. Had I known their house was large enough to hold all of us I would have shown up at their home suitcase in hand the day after the hurricane! Of course had we done that it probably wouldn't have felt so relaxing as we still would have needed to get laundry done, etc. Now they won't be able to get rid of us.

We do love being at Darren's parents in a normal situation. This just hasn't been normal- although I am hoping for it soon.