Ike - The Before Shots

I figured I'd post some "before" shots. I'll also post some during and after shots, so stay tuned. I know you're on the edge of your seat waiting with anticipation! The pic of Anna was just incase that ended up being the last time she got to sleep in that bed in that house. I know that's silly, but for some weird reason, it gave me comfort to take it. The picture of the shoes is just for fun. I wish I had some right now, they might come in handy!

We live about 15 minutes from the coast of Surfside Beach. Tommy used the pre-built storm shutters that the original owner built forever ago, probably for the last time. They are great but they're getting pretty rotten. It was still easier than cutting wood and tons cheaper. He had to use some plywood on a few of our windows.

Our house is about 18-20 feet above sea level and our neighbor who has lived in his house for about 40 years said that we didn't even get close to flooding with hurricane Carla and he only had $3 worth of damage. He had to buy a $6 package of shingles but he only used half of them so he says he only had $3 worth of damage. It stinks that we just spent a ton of money getting our house painted.

We've evacuated to higher ground (have I mentioned that we have great friends?!?) so we're safe but we're wondering what we'll go back to after Ike barrels through. I couldn't get any shots of our house boarded up because my daughters and I left before my husband and son finished that up. Jakeb got one on his phone but I have no idea how to get it from there to here. Tommy, my husband, said that the town was like a ghost town when they left last night to head to Tomball. The stores are all closed, there are no people to be seen anywhere except the police that are patrolling. I am thankful for them and I pray for their protection. Sidenote: we left our house in a "welcoming" state again this hurricane. Beds made, clean kitchen, etc., just in case the looters come in, they'll have a nice clean house to sleep in or ransack or whatever, cause there's just not that much in our house that they'd want! I know I'm weird but it makes for some comedic relief in a pretty emotional situation.

Anyway..... Ike looks like a bad storm, a HUGE storm, like bigger than Texas and almost takes up the whole Gulf of Mexico and it will be here before too long. It's about 11:30am on Friday and it's already getting pretty windy here. The kids walked down to the little store. They'll stay outside as much as they can today because we'll probably be couped up for a while. Will probably prove to be an eventful night.