If ye are prepared....

The day started like any other day, with Bill getting the children up for school at 5:30 am (seminary doesn't start until next week).  The storm last night was fierce, however the sun was up.  It was a bright new day.  The children went to school to find the power was out and some classes could run on the generator--up until the cooks discovered that the freezers how gone out and there was no food to feed the 1200+ always hungry teens.  So they sent them home. 

As I have run my errands, I found that there are many still without power living and working here is St. Joseph.  They say that there 70,000 people in St Joseph and out lying areas without power.  With all of the limbs and lines down, they don't know when the power would be back on.  I feel very blessed that we are not of that number, while just 2 blocks in any direction are feeling the effects of no power and above 90 degree tempratures. 

My home has been opened to those who need a place to stay, and my freezer is being filled with other's food (carefully marked) so it will not spoil.  It is times like this that make me grateful for all I learned growing up.  Preparedness wasn't just something we talked about, it was something we lived and breathed each day.  However that being said--I do not yet have a generator, and if our power goes, it will NOT be a good thing.

I trimmed and set Ethel's hair, adding new earings for the week.  We spent time visiting as we do each week.  She likes it when I read to her from my vast collection of fairy tales on my Kindle.  With her living in the nursing home, I have been able to rediscover the joy of visiting with her rather than the constant difficulty of trying to take care of her needs.  I feel there is a balance to all of that.

Lastly I went to purchase my books for the upcoming semester--oh my, talk about sticker shock.  Even with most of the books being used, it was still almost $600.  As there is still one more class to buy as yet (the books are still in printing).  How much more will it be this semester, I wonder?  Yet, I look at these books with wonder.....I am living my dream of going  school.  Each day is as a long awaited gift that I treasure.