Displaced

For those of you who watched Arizona news yesterday, you probably saw the highschool hit by the plane. You also probably saw my house!

We have been incredibly blessed.

My children play at the highschool on a daily basis.

They ride their bikes in the exact area that the plane hit the school.

Yesterday we were watching a movie instead.

How grateful I am to the Lord.

Eye Witness accounts from my nieghbors who were outside said the plane flew right over our houses. Nearly missing our houses and just barely missing the power lines just above them.

The plane crashed no more than 75 yards from my front door.

I thank my Heavenly Father the plane missed my house, and my neighbors houses, as we were all home at the time.

We did not hear the initial crash but our whole house was rocked by the explosion that came shortly thereafter.

A million thoughts went thru my head.

I told my children to stay inside and I ran out to see what was going on.

(One of my first thoughts was that a Bomb had blown at the highschool.)

I ran towards my nieghbor Jaquetta who was in the road trying to clear traffic off our street.

(people had seen the smoke and some the plane crash and were coming to see. we wanted the road clear for medical and fire.)

I ran to ask her what had happened and she pointed to the crash site and said "a plane crashed into the highschool.)

The feelings I felt are hard to describe.

I was shaking.

I was heartbroken for whomever was in the plane.

I was devastated for the damage to the highschool.

I was fearful for my home and family.

There are large propane tanks on the highschool and they are very near my home.

There was concern about them igniting.

So I gathered my children and important documents and we left our home.

I went to Winslow's office and the feel of being in his arms was never so wonderful.

We spent the afternoon and evening with the Wrights (thank you soo! much!!)

We watched on the news as our beautiful highschool burned.

They evacuated (officially) our neighborhood.

The smell is terrible.

It burns your throat and makes you sick.

At 9pm last night , 7 hours after the crash they were still fighting the fire.

My home and the homes of our neighbors were spared.

But our highschool looks to be lost.

And I am grateful.

Grateful for loving friends and family.

Grateful for protection.

Grateful for men and women who came from all around to fight the fire, to protect our homes.

Grateful for police officers who kept the area safe.

Grateful for friends and neighbors who were concerned for our safety and well being.

Grateful for local hotel chains who gave out rooms free of charge to those of us displaced.

Humble and grateful.

Prayerful.

My heart aches for those who were in the plane.

We still don't know who or really how many.

I knew as we were leaving our home

"I have my family, and everything else is just stuff."

The Lord works miracles and many lives were spared.

Summer school was done for the day.

Painters working on the school in the exact area of the crash were sent home early.

Children normally playing at the school stayed home.

Adults setting up for a town meeting had Just left the building minutes before.

I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES! I know that He watches out for me, that He loves me, that He cares for me.