Getting back to normal

Things are getting back to normal around here. We started school again this week. The city came and cut down the tree that fell and we are waiting for all the debris to get hauled away. Bill's mom and dad have been staying with us this week (they had been in New Braunfels, but his mom had several appointments and a biopsy at MD Anderson, so it was better for them to be close to the medical center). Happily, she's doing well after the biopsy (it was a spot on her lung, prayers welcome), and their power was finally restored last night so they were able to go home today. My sister and niece got their power back early this week, Jill went back to school Wednesday, Sierra on Thursday, so everything is getting back on track.

Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out those who lost everything to Ike. After suffering from what was essentially a minor inconvenience (loss of power for less than a week), I can't imagine how hard it is for those who lost their houses, their jobs, or are waiting to hear whether a loved one has been located.

My friend Sandra (who lost her house on Crystal Beach) has a very eloquent husband who wrote that they are looking at it not as an end, but as the beginning of a new journey. Our prayer is that the journey of all those who are suffering from Ike leads them to something better than they had before, and reminds us all of what is really important. Life goes on.

And on a completely different note, many thanks to the man who always helps us get things back to normal. The man who can fix anything, figure out anything, and make anything work. What would we ever do without you? Happy Birthday, Dad!