Thanks Irene

So with the news of hurricane Irene coming our way, we were all very shook up by all the "warnings."  With a few days of not taking it all so seriously, we finally did go and get prepared two days before.  My husband and I went and gathered up all the necessities in the case of an emergency.  I made sure I had enough ready to eat food for my son, and all his medications.  It was a scary feeling.  After speaking to my family that also live in New York City, we all decided that if things were to get really bad, the safest place was our apartment.

Our windows face the back of the building, we are on the fifth floor, and our neighborhood is on higher ground.  Everyone came over Friday night, with the unknown future but we all were determined to make the best of it.  We had enough food, and drinks to last us a good while if we needed it.  Once everyone was settled, we all enjoyed a huge dinner that I had prepared for everyone, reminded me of a good old family get together.  We had three toddlers running around, the men just relaxing watching t.v., us women playing cards.  Then, we opened up a bottle of wine, and played Pictionary as a family.  It was so fun to laugh, and play with each other we almost forgot why we had all had gathered.

The night passed by fast, our parents were asleep, and so were the kids.  But my husband, siblings, and I stayed up as we listened to every loud sound of wind and rain hitting the windows.  We were so relieved to see the outcome of the hurricane turned tropical storm.  We had some rain coming in through the sides of one of our windows from the strength and amount of rain, but glad to report that as the only "damage."  In the end we had very little sleep, but a night we won't forget.  By Sunday afternoon, everyone had headed back home, and I was at the toy store with my little family.  The winds were still stronger than usual, but nothing unbearable.

So thankful to have been fortunate, just a reminder of who's in control.  Mother Nature.  Be kind to her people.  I joked that Irene is her daughter sent out to deliver a message to us, but..really!

Hope everyone that wasn't as fortunate is doing well, and will recover soon from everything.

And oh..thanks Irene for being kind to us, as many of us know it could have been worse...