So I had fully intended to continue my seasonal mix-up musings. But with the events of yesterday, I'm feeling a bit more like life - not fashion. (And no - fashion is not life! Fashion is fun, and I love it, but let's face it folks - it's a bit frivolous. And frivolity certainly has its place. But let's recognize where that place appropriately is for heaven's sake.)
Fires are burning all over Colorado again this summer. I am so thankful to all those working so hard to protect us. I am so sorry for those who have lost homes, pets and even loved ones (though thankfully that number is small).
We got a first hand taste of it yesterday. A fire started probably a mile from us as the crow flies - down the mountain from us - fire burns UP. We got the evac notice. Be ready to leave at a moment's notice and if you have livestock - get them out NOW. We have horses. And we have a horse trailer. And my husband had the truck - an hour and a half away. After a moment to panic and text him to GET HOME NOW!, and after a moment to pray, we (the kids and I) went into action.
We grabbed our "fire list" and started working - harness on the dog, halters on the horses (which have dog tags on them with our cell phone numbers), important items (wedding pics, baby pics, passports, insurance papers, baby videos) into the car. Grab my mom's wedding ring and mine, our family Bible and travel diaries, the Raggedy Ann doll my mother made me, the Toni doll my Godmother left me, the kids most important stuffed animal and the laptops, wallet and cell phones. Toss everything in the trunk of the car. Check. Two extra minutes - grab a couple of paintings off the walls made by my kids and my dad, the box with the most special kids artwork. Call the neighbor girl up the street to make sure she's not home alone. We're ready.
Meanwhile, my husband is racing home but had the presence of mind to call a nearby friend with a Suburban - Darwin arrived just as we finished loading the car and hooked up the horse trailer. We got the horses loaded without a hitch and took off down the mountain to another friend who was well below the fire.
Oh, and I should mention - how many folks called to see if we needed help and how many stopped as we were loading on their way down to see if we needed help. We really have a great and caring community.
The first responders worked so hard to get that fire contained. It was burning right next door to a friend of mine. They weren't home at the time, but animal control went in and got the dogs out safely. It's sort of a joke around here that the fire department hasn't lost a foundation yet. But we all understand that their objective really isn't to save a single burning house. Their goal is to save the mountain. They are heroes and certainly did their jobs well yesterday. I'm sorry and sad for our neighbor's that lost their house. And I'm thankful it ended up just being one house.
Once they announced 100% containment we went home. Left the car loaded until we got the "all clear" announcement several hours later. Then we unloaded our most precious possessions once again. It's kind of liberating to know that the things you care about most you can take in a small car (and a horse trailer :)
We were fortunate. But you know what, even if the fire would be been bigger, and even if we had lost our house. We would still be fortunate. Fortunate to have people fighting for us. Fortunate to have a system that gives us time to collect our most important things and get out safely with our loved ones. Fortunate that what really matters in this world isn't "stuff".
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