Back to the 21st Century!

Last Thursday, January 28th, our electricity went off at 3 p.m.  The forcasted Ice Storm of 2010 was underway, but not so much that we were expecting to lose power so soon.  It flickered a couple times and then was gone.  Luckily, I had some hot chili on the stove simmering for dinner, so we ate our chili happily thinking our electric would come back on in a few minutes....Boy, was I wrong!!!

5 days later.  Yes, I said 5 days later we are back in our warm home with electricity!  Yesterday I was to the breaking point.  frustrated. tired. cranky. ready to go home. I called CVEC to ask about an update and the lady was actually rude to me! She said there were no updates and she couldn't tell me anything about when the electricity would be back (in a very rude way).  I wanted to scream and remind her that this was our fifth day without power, but I calmed myself down and just said thanks anyway.  Luckily, a couple hours later the power kicked back on and we were able to go home....

So what did we do during those 5 days?  The first night, Thursday, we were still thinking the power would come back on at any moment.  We went over to Justin's parents house (although they didn't have power either).  They do have gas heated water and a gas fireplace so we thought everything would be fine.  After staying one night there and calling CVEC the next morning to find out it would be days before they restored our power we decided we better find somewhere warmer because of Haylie.  If it hadn't been for her, we could have made it just fine cuddling under blankets around the fireplace, but you know an 18 month old child won't be still and stay under a blanket, so we had to find some heat! 

We decided to stay at the BCM.  So for the next three nights that's where we were.  Pretty comfortable.  We had electricity, cable tv, internet, a kitchen, etc....pretty much everything except a shower! Yuck!!  On Monday we had to "move out" of the BCM because school was starting back so we were blessed to have friends that offered to let us stay with them until our power came back on.  So, on to the Kemps' it was! We had no idea how long we would be there, but thankfully it turned out to be only one night.  Not because they were bad hosts, they were wonderful! They even made us steaks for dinner! But because we were SO ready to be back in our own home.  We are home bodies.  I love being at home.  I love doing my housework. cooking in my kitchen. I love my home.  So Tuesday morning power came back on.  We had to go buy groceries because, of course, all of ours was spoiled, and then homeward bound we were.

I don't think I would have handled the no electricity/no home for 5 days so badly if it hadn't been for worrying about Haylie.  It was so hard on her.  She was already feeling sick with a cough/runny nose/slight fever and then on top of it all she couldn't sleep because she would wake up not knowing where she was.  One night she woke up crying every single hour!! 

I've always loved home.  Being home with my family.  I think now, though, I will appreciate it even more.  We are blessed to have a house with electricity and heat to live in.  We are so so blessed and take way too many things for granted!