But we were so glad when it quit burning. On January 7, 2022 our home burned and our lives changed forever. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 100 times, I have learned the strangest lessons in the most unexpected circumstances.

That day I experienced shock, panic, fear, disbelief, frustration, helplessness, and complete lack of control. When I saw the smoke in the house, and found my way to the flames in the basement, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Then I went to get the fire extinguisher and it was not where it was supposed to be. (FYI…baking soda only works on small grease fires, not raging basement fires.) Absolute panic when the fire hit the gas line and headed toward the furnace. Amazement that I could run that fast to escape an explosion. Strength when I physically grabbed my children out without stopping to get shoes for either of us. Helplessness as I stood in my front yard alone watching my house burn until the fire department was able to get there, which took a while since we live out of town. Disbelief as the Amazon man handed me my package and said he was sorry. I could only respond “me too.” Fear when the smoke inhalation caused a cough that I couldn’t stop. (This is Us, was not comforting me for killing off Jack that way.) Besides all of those personal things, I also had to make the phone calls after 911. “Hey husband, I need you to come home from work because our house is burning down.” It's not an easy call to make. And then to have to make it to our parents and siblings. And to suddenly be “homeless”, not knowing what is going to happen next. I would like to make it clear that we were not actually homeless because “home is where the heart is” and we have loving family on both sides who moved us in with them. My parents during the week and my husband’s mom on weekends. We were never left to the elements, but we were without our own space and own belongings.

But the shocking thing that I learned through losing our house and belongings, was thankfulness. Number One, God protected me and my family and we all walked away safe and sound. Thankful that the fire happened during the day and not the night because we could have ended up with a much more tragic outcome. Number two, The gifts and hand-me-downs came rolling in that very night and the next few days. The Amazon truck was at my parents house every day with things that people knew we needed. Knowing the amount of people that cared for us, even from afar touches you in a way you don’t expect.

And with no option of going back, we started over. One step at a time, little by little, our lives began to move forward.