The Wrath of Bill

If you've been watching the Weather Channel, you may have seen that Hurricane Bob is producing some massive wind and waves on the East Coast. We went out last night to see just how big the waves were and watch some of the daring surfers. The warm wind was sooooo nice!

I CANNOT love this little face anymore. My heart melts at the sight of him!

Jadon had fun playing in the sand and picking up shells. Since the tide was so high, there really wasn't much beach left, but Jadon had fun anyway. He's always happy to have Mackenzie at his side (she's in our house permanently now, by the way) :)

While I was snapping a few pics of her on the beach, Jamie was walking Macy just a few feet away with Macy in the Baby Bjorn, and Jadon was playing in the sand at his side. All of the sudden, a wave rushed the shore out of nowhere and knocked Jadon down. Another wave quickly came and the current was so strong, it started to drag him away. My heart is starting to race, as I type this! I assure you, this was no life or death situation, but the experience shook me in my soul.

To say I went into Mama Bear mode would be an understatement. All three of us, Jamie, Mackenzie and I, scrambled to grab him as he was crying and struggling to gain his ground again. It was aweful. Absolutely aweful. And to be honest, I am reminded again how small I am. How much more I need to rely on God. How short this life really is, and how much more thankful I need to be for every, single minute I have to parent these incredible little people who call me Mommy. :( I cannot imagine how people cope with the loss of a child. I need to pray more for them. Thank you, God, that I have this day with my babies. I love them so.

Wondering what in the heck just happened: Thinking he doesn't care to battle the Atlantic ever again :/
Thankful. My sweet baby.
Parenthood is such a joy, but my goodness the heartache of it!

Gimme a Break, Nell Carter!

Just as I wanted to suspect...tropical storms are not all the Weather Channel makes them out to be...a lots of wind, some rain, and a bunch of hype. Instead of the bread and milk shelves being empty, like in the huge snow storm warnings up north, we had empty battery, water, and flashlight shelves. All for that? Gimme a break!

So, after SLEEPING through our first tropical storm, I now know that we will NEVER leave the area, when another one approaches. It's amazing how a bathroom fan can drown out all of the outside noise. The only thing that kept me slightly on edge was the threat of a tornado. When I woke up around 3am to go to the bathroom, I had thoughts of one coming and sweeping me away, out of my bed with Jadon in my arms...okay, so maybe I also thought about the toddler who was found in a field and his mom died, during a tornado this year in like Kansas or Texas??? But only for a minute, then the fan lulled me back to sleep ;)

They say the surfers will be out in abundance at the beach, possibly today, but definitely tomorrow. I'm thinking we'll take Jadon to watch them and get some pics of him playing in the sand. I know it is still early in September, but in WV there is no such thing as going swimming after Labor Day...gotta love living at the beach. I tend to forget weather patterns here, since we haven't lived here long enough for me to have many memories connected to them, so I asked my mom when they stop going out on the boat, and she said "DECEMBER!" I do remember wearing flip flops to church at the end of November and being able to take Jadon outside in a onesie and pants on Thanksgiving day last year!

I must say that I do REALLY miss the feel of Fall (the smell of the leaves and their changing colors, the crisp coolness of the morning air, etc.) in the northeast. But I suppose I'll deal with hurricane warnings and tropical storms that come with possible tornados, since I'm not willing to trade it for wearing flip flops in the winter and never having to start my car in the morning or scrap another windshield :)

TS Hanna

For the last four days, there has been a 'calm before the storm' here in Myrtle Beach. The temps have been in the high 80s to low 90s with a very tolerable 50-60% humidity. There hasn't been a cloud in the sky! In fact, we spent the last few days at the pool (and since school is back in session, we were three of about 10 people at the entire pool...so nice!): Today? Not so much :/ We debated leaving and heading to Aiken, where my mom is staying in a hotel for work, but opted to 'ride the storm out,' after talking to a few locals and neighbors who have been there, during past tropical storms and/or hurricanes.

The drains on the house have been replaced (thanks to my awesome husband); tons of bottled water purchased; lots of extra batteries and a few extra large flashlights are ready to go; the bathtubs will be filled later tonight (just in case we don't have water, so we can flush the toilets); the cat has been given a bath and been given the spare bedroom suite (he's in heaven!); Jamie's car is safe in the garage, since the trunk leaks during heavy rains; the trash can, potted plants from the front entry way, and the hoses have all been brought into the house/garage; hmmm....what else? Oh yeah, and we have full tanks of gas in the cars and new tires on my car, since we slid all over the road last week, when the roads were slightly wet (Jadon's life flashed before my eyes, and all I could do in the car, as Jamie was attempting to correct the wheels, was look back at him in his car seat and pray in desperation!). I suppose we've done all we can to prepare for Hanna. Now we sit and wait as she approaches with her 70 mph winds :/

Will this be like a snow storm warning in West Virginia, when the bread and milk shelves are left empty at Kroger? Then, after so much hype, you end up with 1-2 inches of snow...so ridiculous. Will Hanna really deliver 70 mph winds to our neck of the woods, or will she hit further north near the NC border? Either way, we prepared the best we knew how.

Neither of us have ever been through a hurricane, nor have my mom or Wally in the three years they have lived here, so I'm pretty anxious about it. The only room(?) in our house without a double or triple sized picture window is my walk-in closet and the laundry room. I envision me sitting in the floor, clutching a sleeping Jadon, crying in one of those places tonight, when the storm hits (approx. midnight - 2am). I know I will NOT be one of those people who can sleep through a hurricane, trust me. I am a very light sleeper. Jamie, on the other hand, has had to promise to wear his hearing aid and stay awake with me, so he can hear everything I do...that we, when I am scared and he tries to calm me, I'll know he really hears what's going on.

Oh yeah, and there are tornado warnings in effect until 5am in this area. Apparently tropical storms brings lots of those along with them :( All I can think of is the fact that I have only experienced 20-25 mph winds in my entire life. This is going to be THREE TIMES that!!! Okay, I'm starting to scare myself. Off to shower, just in case we can't tomorrow.

And one more thing: My mom didn't come home from Aiken today, like she usually does on Fridays, due to work overload :/ Just wondering, Mother...what would you think of me leaving Jadon stranded without me, when a hurricane is about to hit, huh? :( No matter how old you are, it always feels safer to have your mom with you, when you are scared :( Now I have to worry about you getting home safe tomorrow night :( Darn Hanna!