A rant about FEMA!

Ok, so here it goes and boy am I fired up. I am going on day 14 with no power. Like I have said before, I think I have been a good sport about it up until now but I can't take it anymore. I need relief. So, we decided last night after coming home to a dark, hot, smelly house that it is time to move into a hotel room until power is restored. The thing is, FEMA has reserved 98% of the hotel rooms in Houston. I happen to book travel for a living so I had my very qualified travel agent search every nook and cranny of this enormous city yesterday to no avail. We called in all the favors and still nothing. We were told the same thing over and over again: FEMA has them all reserved through the end of October for families whose houses flooded or have small children or elderly family members and no electricity. OK, great! I totally fall into that catagory, that is my ticket into AC.

WRONG! Guess what? I make too much money to qualify for aid??? HUH?! On a good month, we live paycheck to paycheck. Besides, I am willing to pay for the room anyway but I can't because you are HOGGING every hotel room in the 4th largest city in the country!!!!!

Seriously?! I have no recourse. No other option but to remain in my hot house with my two cranky children. I am not one to talk about fair and unfair, but come on...

Is this seriously how the system sucks, um I mean, works?

Oh well. Off to Louisiana I shall go for the weekend. At least I have that to look forward to!

Until next time...CNS

Hurricane Ike and Chloe's First Soccer Practice.

Well, we did survive the hurricane with no damage to speak of but the thing that I mentioned fearing the most in my last post is still plaguing us. That's right. Still no electricity! We are going on 12 days now and I can hardly stand it. It is H-O-T. I have NO clean clothes for myself or my children and I have had enough! I considered myself a VERY good sport for the first TEN days, the last two...not so much.

Listen, I know they are working 16 hour days and blah, blah, blah. But ENOUGH ALREADY! I want my AC, I want CLEAN clothes and my kids want some normalcy. Is that so much to ask? Apparently so. That being said, we could use the prayers for power restoration. Thanks a bunch.

On a lighter note, yesterday marked Chloe's first day of soccer practice. I was a bit nervous because, let's get serious...she usually has the attention span of a circus monkey. But, over the last year or so she has really shown a natural athletic ability (and a loathe for frilly dance costumes) so she has been begging to start soccer and she is finally old enough.

Fast forward to Monday night. Picture this: we go shopping for all things soccer related and get her all gussied up in her cleats and shin guards and such. We then tell her tomorrow is the big day of her first practice and she starts SQUALLING. She is nervous she says. She doesn't want to do it. Everyone will be better than her.

Is she serious?! She has been begging for this for months. So, I calm her down by telling my very social child that all she has to do is go and meet new friends and kick the ball around and if she doesn't like it, she doesn't have to go back. She thinks long and hard about this and is satisfied she can survive through that.

Guess what? We show up at the mosquito infested soccer field and she is a natural! She runs out there with no apprehension and she is one of the best on the team! We were sooo proud of her and she can't wait for next Tuesday.

Other than that exciting news, Hunter has started to take a few steps but still hasn't mastered walking. We think he will take off any day now!

Sorry if this post bored you too much. I just don't have too much exciting to report with NO POWER?!

Until next time...CNS

First Post and Hurricane Ike...

Well, to start, I am completely nervous about writing my very first blog post. I am constantly reading other blogs (yes, I have been a lurker so please forgive my creepiness) and enjoying them so much that I have been longing to start one myself for some time. To be honest, I just haven't had the guts. What if it is terrible? What if everyone hates it? Will they think I am completely lame? Oh, and when will I find the time. See, I have a 4 year old daughter and a son that turned one just yesterday. I certainly have my hands full. Anyway, I decided to go for it so here we are. Please forgive me if you hate it...

Now, about Hurricane Ike. UGH. That sums it up best. I should be used to this. I have lived on the Gulf Coast my entire life but each time I am faced with a storm I begin to panic at the 11th hour.

Most would ask why we didn't leave. That's simple. It is almost scarier to leave than it is to stay. There is never enough gas. And, even if you have a full tank, it is possible you will be stuck on the highway for 12+ hours and run out and then there is really none to be found. In my book, that is much scarier.

Anyway, I am sure that isn't anything you all don't already know.

So, we are staying put. I just hope it doesn't scare the kids too bad. That would hurt my heart. And, I am also hoping we won't be without power for too long because if there is one thing that i have learned to dread more than the wind and rain it is the unbearable HEAT that occurs after the storm and before the electricity comes back.

I know I am new here, but if anyone actually is kind enough to read this blog, please pray for us and I promise to blog again to update as soon as I can.

Who knows? Maybe this will be the start on my eternal blogging career.

Until next time...