2 years ago today!

I can not believe that Connor came into our lives 2 years ago today.

It was a different world then. Katrina had hit us 3 months earlier. The first floor of our house was destroyed as well as the attic place blown in by the wind so we lost out master bedroom too. Out of 3300 square feet we probably had 800 liveable space but no water or electricity.

We had been living at Edward's parents since the storm. It was stressful. I hadn't slept in the same bed with Edward in 3 months. We split the kids up between 2 rooms. I was very uncomfortable, or course. The work at the house was never ending but I could hardly do anything because of the health risks. The phone calls between contractors, insurance companies, FEMA and the adjustors tied me in knots. We waited and waited for money from the insurance companies. Just creating a list of everything we had lost was overwhelming. I think it came to 25 typed pages in Word. Yes, 25 typed pages!

We were actively looking for another place to live since it looked like we wouldn't be getting back into our house for a long while. Houses were scarce due to the loss of housing from storm damage. Whole apartment complexes were damage to the point that residents needed to move. I looked at one rental home that was less than I would ever have settled for. I thought maybe it would be an answer to getting back our privacy and giving my in-laws their privacy back too. They wanted $3,600 a month for rent. What? And we still had to pay our mortgage too. Well that was out.

Edward and I decided that we just had to make a move before Connor was born. He was due at the end of November. And when it seemed we would never find a rental home or get a trailer from FEMA due to living so close to the bayou so we made the decision to move home. The guest room was still livable as was Avery's room. We had emergency heat at least and I got the water running. We had to get the well working again and the water heaters replaced since they were both under water. Volunteers from our church came out to help me move furniture so we could actually utilize the guest bedroom. And the love bugs were in every nook and cranny of the second floor.

Monday morning, the 7th rolled around. School started back up at the beginning of November, I believe, so I was driving the kids to Oceans Springs from Gautier every morning and back again right after lunch. All I wanted to do was rest but in that body it was hard. I was helping get breakfast for the kids with my mother in law when my water broke in the middle of the kitchen floor. This was 3 weeks before Connor's due date. My other two kids had been induced so this was the first time I had experienced my water breaking. What a very strange feeling. I finally had to put a towel between my legs to catch the fluid. And off we went to the hospital leaving poor Evelyn with the 2 older kids. Connor was born at 4:30 in the afternoon. I know he would have come sooner but the doctor orchestrated the medicine I was given to correspond with his work schedule. No need to inconvenience the obstetrician, right?

We took Connor home to grandmommy and Papa Roy's house and moved back into our house by that weekend. We lived with emergency heat and it still was freezing at night. I would swaddle Connor in a winter bunting to sleep in his bassinet. Cullen's twin bed was at the foot of our bed and Connor's bassinet by the bedroom door. We slept like that for months. Avery was the only one who retained her room. The stairway to the first floor was covered with heavy plastic and tape. Then every available blanket and comforter was laid over it to keep the cold from coming up from the first floor which was gutted. My mom arrived 2 days after we moved back home and what a lifesaver. It is so true that when mom is around everything seems less hard. I was so happy to have her there with us. She slept in the a twin bed we set up in the dining room. So strange to think of it now. Her sleeping in the middle of our great room. That is my mom holding Connor. Wasn't he just so tiny? Gosh I could just eat him up... still could. But he says "Enough!" when I try. haha

And now 2 years later we have our home back. We haven't had a storm head towards us since Katrina and the property has for the most part gone unflooded. And Connor turned 2! Lots to celebrate.