CHAOS!!

Well I had thought I'd post about Christmas and traveling, and the many days and nights of flu for all of us thrown up (I will soon with pictures too) but that pails in comparison to the tax season chaos at my house right now. Which doesn't even begin to the chaos my sister is experiencing. I got a text yesterday while in a training meeting that there was a fire in my sisters house earlier that day and everyone was OK but they would be in a hotel up to 12 weeks and to call my mom for information. With my dad also at the meeting, the second we had a chance we called my mom to get details. The details weren't all to clear that night but as time has passed and details have come out the story makes a little more sense.

My sister has a small daycare in her home and has 2 of her children at home with her all day and 2 in school. Well the youngest of her children somehow got her zhu zhu pet like animal into the bottom of their oven, which happens to be a gas oven so where she put it is actually the broiler. My sister was preheating the oven to make muffins and the battery operated toy in the broiler exploded leading to flames. My sister ran the 4 children to the closest neighbor she could find and went back to the house to attempt to put out the fire that had grown even larger. Details of exactly how the fire was extinguished I'm not sure of. I do know the fire department came and made sure there were no hot spots and it was safe to reenter, with face masks and gloves they have since done so. To retrieve what they could or wanted to try to salvage. They do have good insurance on the 18 month old home, a great blessing. They are living in a hotel suite for as long as the next 3 months while the smoke and ash damaged parts are removed and cleaned, replaced, or restored.

I was telling my boys about it this morning and I could see they were quite upset because we had been there just 1 week before the fire. And their son Sam has a VERY special place in my kids hearts. Connor was very worried that Sam and his family were OK and had what they needed. We are working on how to help from 800 miles away. My kids really want to help and there isn't much we can do but pray.

Yes CHAOS is reigning supreme in my family right now. Oh and the fire also happened to be on one of my brother's birthday. We vote for smaller candles for his next birthday. No houses necessary.