People Who Called....

I am loved.

I was so touched by the people who called to offer their homes and to check on us while we were stuck in traffic.

Aunt Evadene wins the prize for the most calls. She snagged her apartment guest house for us and offered to pay half of the $60 a day charge because she felt bad for not having a guest bedroom. She began calling on Tuesday and continued calling through Thursday. Her daughter, Pam, began calling on Friday when we started to not answer E's calls. I'd rather E then P anyday.

Rick and Julie made a few calls and offered their vacant front (recently remodeled) bedroom. Richard and Duncan called once.

Amy called a few times. She was very kind and assured us the dogs would be fine. She said she has a pin that Keith could easily put together and also a garage. She called again to say we can come as early as we feel we need to.

Nathan and Jacob run a close second to E. At one point while stuck on I10-East, having just found out that the hurricane was heading East, Jacob called. He started laughing at us and said, "Mom, something is wrong with this picture." I started to cry and handed the phone to Barry.
Nathan was in the process of preparing to house friends and relatives (Roxanne and Trey came for awhile). One of his calls came when I was feeling my worst, nauseated with a pounding headache. I felt his and Jacob's concern (even though J was laughing) at our predicament.

Even Floyd called twice. First to say, "It's a Category 5, get your butts out of there;" and second to offer his place as refuge.

Little Ronnie (Raun) called a few times. He was feeling a little stress about what he should do with Kyle. They ended up staying put in Houston and did just fine.

Alice called and said to come on up to Arkansas and make a visit out of it. A lot of people actually ended up in Arkansas (not because she called :). She made a few more calls while we were stuck in traffic and said she was praying for us.

Barry's friend Tony Gale called and offered us a spot in his brand new mansion near West, Texas. His second home is full of New Orleans family and friends displaced from Katrina.

Barry's son, Todd, offered his place near Austin, but we heard I-10 West was closed and the traffic heading that way was too much.

Barry's Louisiana family called, too. His sister, Bobbie Jo, offered her place. She didn't know at the time that her two daughters would end up there after their electricity failed.

It was Barry's brother, Put, and his wife Liz who were our choice of family members to stay with. We pretty much told them we were coming to them. We feel comfortable there partly because our dogs are truly not a bother, but mainly because Liz cooks that wonderful Louisiana food. Yup, it was selfish motivation. They happened to be dog-sitting their daughter's dog and they have one of their own. It was comical. I took the dogs walking alot. Liz cooked and we all gained weight. Even Sammy got bloated. And I thoroughly enjoyed the high winds we received from Hurricane Rita.