Lately i've really been thinking about the hurricane. i get used to the "messed up-ness" of being down here and i don't really notice the fema trailers, debris, etc. but lately i've been really thinking about it. i went to the waveland vegetable market today, which is like a little tent where people that grow their own veggies come as well as purse makers, photographers, just anyone trying to sell their wares. i really felt for these people. here they are, after the storm, trying to sell their stuff to make money to support themselves. i met a woman who had an 11 month old baby and was also 6 months pregnant. she raised her first child in a fema trailer with no crib. she had a baby shower 1 month before the storm and had her nursery set up perfectly. and then her baby was born 2 days before katrina. i said, what did you do? did you have a crib? she said, oh no. i put her in a bunk bed in a fema trailer and hoped she didn't roll off. i said, did you cry? she said, yes it was very hard. i thought about to my own baby showers, and how much time i spent setting up the nursery and rocking in the rocking chair waiting for kate's arrival, thinking about her and all that stuff. and this woman lori didn't have that luxury. i was so sad for her. but yet her baby was thriving and she was expecting another! i asked her if her house needed help (a common question down here) but she said she was fine and was living in the refurbished garage apartment of her parents' house. she is so brave. this picture is of a fema trailer in the front of a house. this is a common sight. almost every house has this trailer in front of it, and as they work on the house, they live in the small trailer.
i also watched a video of before and after photos of waveland, ms and it was so sad. waveland was so fun and nice before the storm and now it is so devastating. kate fell asleep in the car today when we were on the way to the library and so i decided to drive around as long as she wanted to sleep. i drove around bay st louis to see streets i'd never been down and try to make myself at home. it was so depressing. there were neighborhoods with literally NOTHING in them. just cleared off lots. the roads were so bumpy because of the storm surge that kate kept moving around when i'd hit a bump but she still slept through the tour. it was so sad. but i know that people are staying strong and trying to rebuild when they can and trying to make the best of it. it is encouraging to see that. stores are opening every day. progress is made every day. each day bay st louis gets better and better. i just pray that God will spare us from hurricanes this year.
my neighbors across the street are living in 3 campers. they have dogs in the yard and everything is a mess. it makes me frustrated because it is so ugly but i know they cannot help it. i've tried to befriend them but they are not interested. maybe one day.
kate continues to be a blessing to me. she makes me smile so much. she is crawling around and getting into things. i have been working on her first birthday party. barnyard animals theme. she loves animals and i think it will be cute.
andy is gone to columbus,ms for a wedding this weekend so i am holding down the fort. i think i am getting a cold because i have some junk in my throat, so could you please pray that i don't get sick? thanks.
we are continuing to pray for more families to move to Lagniappe and live the life down here and minister. it's an awesome opportunity and i keep trying to meet young moms. i have a coffee date with a young mom on tuesday at a new cafe that just opened up. she has an 8 month old. i hope it goes well!
thanks for reading and keep praying for the coast. it's a daily struggle.
we have a flea problem-the exterminator is coming next wednesday, thank God.
