A Snow Storm, Power Outages, A Visitor, An Icy Pond

Well our snow storm saga continued for several days.  The extremely cold weather covered many states but Texas had a big problem.  Our power grid crashed and so many people were without electricity.  Then people were without electricity and water.  Then, several days later, when things began to thaw, there were tons of water leaks/pipe issues.

On Monday, Gram and Grandpa Vore hung out at our house for several hours because their electricity had been out since 2:00 am.  Their house was frigid.  We enjoyed having them over.  Their electricity had trouble for the next three days, but they decided to just hunker down by the fire.  We walked over and visited them in their dark, cold house a couple of times.  (It wasn't too bad by the fireplace.)

Tanner and Grandpa

We let Butter stay inside in the laundry room.  She was in heaven on day one and two I think.  However, days 3-7 she was conflicted.  She was in and out a lot.  I think she liked being on the back porch so she could at least see us through the windows.  Aub was good to play with her.  

Parker and I took her on a walk one day.  Big mistake.  She was so tired of being cooped up.  She was pulling the leash, and I was trying to walk on the icy street without falling.  I decided to unleash her which was a huge mistake.  She almost caused two accidents when she darted into the cross streets just as a car was coming.  She wouldn't let us near her.  Parker and I were cringing.  When the two cars skidded as they braked, we tried to pretend we had no affiliation with Buttercup.  Dumb dog.  (Really dumb me for letting her off her leash.)

I am still serving as our Relief Society president and on Monday afternoon I received a call about a sister in need.  The part I love is the call came from her ministering sister.  When Michele, a member less than a year, could not get a hold of Sister Donna Wood, she asked for a county welfare check.  Michele found out Sister Wood was in the ER due to no electricity and needing electricity for her oxygen tank.  (Michele couldn't help much more due to her own water and electricity issues.)

Long story short, Sister Wood ended up at our house for about four days.  She mostly stayed in the recliner in the den, and then Parker's room at night.  She was sweet.  She just watched her shows and slept.  She told us about all of her medicine and her illnesses over and over again in great detail.  

I was so glad to have Brian helping.  He is the medical parent/person in our family.  With his physical therapy, he has worked in hospitals and in homes of elderly patients.  He knew how to work her oxygen tanks and help her in and out of our van safely.  I grew more comfortable over the days but to be honest, I was pretty terrified on day one when we picked her up from the hospital.  Especially because on the way home she was listing off all of her many sicknesses.  I said a little prayer right then, "please help this lady not die while we are caring for her."  And she didn't!  Whew.

She is new in Odessa and had visited her at her home, one time, for maybe 10-15 minutes.  Parker and Tanner kept growling that I had picked up some random lady I didn't even know...which was much truer than they knew.  The kids mostly avoided the family room for the week, but we ate meals together and did scripture and prayer all together.  All of the kids helped at one time or another by helping Sister Wood to the restroom, helping prepare a meal for her and helping her get safely back home.  (We loaded her up to go home on Wednesday but then then her power went out again.  She stayed until Friday...so then we loaded her and her belongings up again.)

A few things that were cute from her visit.  One day we were gathered around the kitchen table and Parker mentioned taking Bethani, a girl he is "talking to" somewhere.  Sister Wood cooed in a sing song voice, "It looks like someone has a girlfriend."  We all just busted up while Parker turned red.

She didn't sleep real well at night due to health conditions.  She would do paint by number pictures on her phone and show me each morning.  She has sent me a few since she has been home.

Sister Wood watched the two hour Bachelor special on the first night she was here.  (The Bachelor is a steamy, cheesy dating show.)  She was excited for the next TV program she liked which was coming on at 10:00.  Even though it would have been easier to have scripture and prayer in our bedroom, I thought we should move to the den so she could join in.  Well, when I asked her if she would like to join us for scriptures there was a long, awkward pause.  She didn't want to!  She wanted to continue watching her shows!  I felt like I had another teenager in the house.  (After she found out we could pause the show, she was happy to join us each night for scriptures and prayer.)

When we took her home on Friday, Brian was back at work so both boys helped.  Once we got to her apartment, they looped arms on either side of her and walked her through the snow about 300 feet to her apartment door.  I went back and forth to the van to carry in her belongings.  We got her settled and said her goodbyes.  She gave me and Parker a hug.  Then she went to hug Tanner and he was as stiff as a board.  He was definitely out of his comfort zone.  Parker was cracking up.  

When we got in the van, Parker retold the hug from his view point.  I happened to take a drink just as he began, and I started choking on my water.  All three of us were laughing, but I thought I was going to have to pull over because that water definitely went down the wrong tube.  (See the video here)

All in all, we survived the crazy snow week.  The district had the kids do school from home.  Our electricity never went out although we had several families in our ward who had no heat and water for days.  The church had a pipe burst and it flooded the ENTIRE building.  We are back to home church for now, and it's projected to take 6 months to repair the building.  This crazy snowstorm definitely shut down Texas.

Oh...and one of us almost did not survive the weather.  Here is a video of Parker falling into an icy pond.  He went with Austin over the weekend to help with damage at their ranch.  Park thought the pond was frozen (enough) through.  He also thought it was shallow.  When he fell in, he never even felt the bottom.  He was totally immersed in freezing cold water.  He said his first thought was, "I'm going to die."  His next thought was, "when I come up, I will be stuck under the ice and not able to get out."  

He had scrapes and bruises all over his upper body.

I am so glad he is strong and that his dumb decision to walk into the middle of the frozen pond didn't have lasting or deadly consequences.  Crazy teenage boys.  It's amazing any of them survive themselves.  (Here is the video.)