Leonard Life: February 2011

We have had quite the week around here! For those of you who might not have heard Kalamazoo was hit with a major ice storm this week. It knocked out power to about 40,000 people, and that is just within Kalamazoo County. This storm was talked about, but it got nowhere near the hype the "Blizzard" got, and it was much worse. I don't think we were really prepared for the damage ice can do, and I can't say I want to experience it again anytime soon. It all started on Sunday night.. lots of rain, followed by freezing rain.. followed by freezing temperatures.. and well, you have heavy, wet, frozen trees, power lines and streets. It didn't help that the wind decided to pick up. Ben and I literally spent most of Sunday night awake in our bed, jumping out of bed and freaking out about each crashing sound we heard hit our roof. I don't know if I could ever really explain to anyone what it was like and do it justice. We live in a neighborhood surrounded by trees.. We have trees hanging all over our house.. we had frozen, heavy limbs crashing against our roof all night long. Power lines were coming down, and transformers were exploding. At about 1am most of our neighbors lost power, at 3am we heard an explosion so loud it brought Ben and I out of bed and Ben went racing down the stairs. It literally shook our house and made us feel like our house was either blowing up or caving in. We still have no idea what this sound was... I was not feeling like my children were safe, and I was so worried something was going to come crashing through our roof or through a window. At 4:30 am after lying awake for the past hour and a half listening to the crashing sounds, we heard another HUGE crash followed by the sound of shattering glass. We ran downstairs and this time a tree limb had crashed through our 3 season porch. At 6am we lost power. So, it was frozen outside, and we had no heat. Sweet. Thankfully, Ben was off work that day for President's day, so we loaded up our non-showered selves, and took the family to Panera Bread for breakfast, and for wifi for the laptop. We were not anticipating that half of Kalamazoo would be in Panera. So many people and families in the same situation. After Panera we went to the library, and after that we decided to go home for naps. We built a fire, got everyone bundled up and off to bed. In the meantime, Taylor was going on day 7 with a fever. We had already been to the Dr. 1x and they had blown us off and chalked it up to a virus, well she seemed to be getting sicker and sicker, and she could not get warm... but the Dr.'s office was closed because of a lack of power so there wasn't much we could do but wait it out. So, after nap we decided we needed to get to a warm place, and my Mom found us a hotel on the other side of town because they were also without power. After checking into the hotel we ran out to get dinner, and we got a call from my Dad that their power had been restored... so we celebrated and quickly canceled our hotel room. In the middle of all of this I got a call from my friend that our friend's son had been admitted to Bronson. After eating dinner with the family, I headed up to Bronson to visit with my friend. It was a hard night, but being there put things in perspective. They are going to make it, but it was definitely a life changing event for them, and I am praying for this new life they are going to be living. I'm confident God is going to take care of them, but still just feeling so sad for them and all they are going through right now.

Tuesday morning we got Taylor into the Dr. bright and early, and she was diagnosed with Pneumonia. Not good. She was very sick, but we were thankful for the antibiotics and for a warm home to rest in. We spent the day at my parents, and right around 5pm got a call from my neighbor that they could see lights at our house! Power was restored! We quickly loaded the family back up and drove home. About an hour after being home our furnace decided to stop working! So, I bundled the kids up with big down blankets and multiple layers and put them to bed. Ben went to work on the furnace, and at about 11pm my Dad came over with space heaters and tried to help Ben out. No luck. So we had to call the furnace repair, and we basically lived upstairs until about 1pm Wednesday with space heaters! Crazy, huh?

All in all. I am thankful. Thankful everyone is safe, thankful Taylor is getting better, Thankful my friend and her son are home, and Thankful we have heat & electricity. It's amazing how much we take for granted until we lose it. I'm hoping this week has taught me a little bit about that.. I think it has. Pictures to come.. I left my camera at my parents.

Our back patio. Pictures don't do the yard justice. The limbs are much larger than they may appear.

Part of the large limb that went through our 3 season porch.

We  have had quite the week around here!  For those of you who might not  have heard Kalamazoo was hit with a major ice storm this week.  It  knocked out power to about 40,000 people, and that is just within  Kalamazoo County.  This storm was talked about, but it got nowhere near  the hype the "Blizzard" got, and it was much worse.  I don't think we  were really prepared for the damage ice can do, and I can't say I want  to experience it again anytime soon.  It all started on Sunday night..  lots of rain, followed by freezing rain.. followed by freezing  temperatures.. and well, you have heavy, wet, frozen trees, power lines  and streets.  It didn't help that the wind decided to pick up.  Ben and I  literally spent most of Sunday night awake in our bed, jumping out of  bed and freaking out about each crashing sound we heard hit our roof.  I  don't know if I could ever really explain to anyone what it was like  and do it justice.  We live in a neighborhood surrounded by trees..  We  have trees hanging all over our house.. we had frozen, heavy limbs  crashing against our roof all night long.  Power lines were coming down,  and transformers were exploding.  At about 1am most of our neighbors  lost power, at 3am we heard an explosion so loud it brought Ben and I  out of bed and Ben went racing down the stairs.  It literally shook our  house and made us feel like our house was either blowing up or caving  in.  We still have no idea what this sound was...  I was not feeling  like my children were safe, and I was so worried something was going to  come crashing through our roof or through a window.  At 4:30 am after  lying awake for the past hour and a half listening to the crashing  sounds, we heard another HUGE crash followed by the sound of shattering  glass.  We ran downstairs and this time a tree limb had crashed through  our 3 season porch.  At 6am we lost power.  So, it was frozen outside,  and we had no heat.  Sweet.  Thankfully, Ben was off work that day for  President's day, so we loaded up our non-showered selves, and took the  family to Panera Bread for breakfast, and for wifi for the laptop.  We  were not anticipating that half of Kalamazoo would be in Panera.  So  many people and families in the same situation.  After Panera we went to  the library, and after that we decided to go home for naps.  We built a  fire, got everyone bundled up and off to bed.  In the meantime, Taylor  was going on day 7 with a fever.  We had already been to the Dr. 1x and  they had blown us off and chalked it up to a virus, well she seemed to  be getting sicker and sicker, and she could not get warm... but the  Dr.'s office was closed because of a lack of power so there wasn't much  we could do but wait it out.  So, after nap we decided we needed to get  to a warm place, and my Mom found us a hotel on the other side of town  because they were also without power.  After checking into the hotel we  ran out to get dinner, and we got a call from my Dad that their power  had been restored... so we celebrated and quickly canceled our hotel  room.  In the middle of all of this I got a call from my friend that our  friend's son had been admitted to Bronson.  After eating dinner with  the family, I headed up to Bronson to visit with my friend.  It was a  hard night, but being there put things in perspective.  They are going  to make it, but it was definitely a life changing event for them, and I  am praying for this new life they are going to be living.  I'm confident  God is going to take care of them, but still just feeling so sad for  them and all they are going through right now.   Tuesday morning we got Taylor into the Dr. bright and early, and she was  diagnosed with Pneumonia.  Not good.  She was very sick, but we were  thankful for the antibiotics and for a warm home to rest in.  We spent  the day at my parents, and right around 5pm got a call from my neighbor  that they could see lights at our house!  Power was restored!  We  quickly loaded the family back up and drove home.  About an hour after  being home our furnace decided to stop working!  So, I bundled the kids  up with big down blankets and multiple layers and put them to bed.  Ben  went to work on the furnace, and at about 11pm my Dad came over with  space heaters and tried to help Ben out.  No luck.  So we had to call  the furnace repair, and we basically lived upstairs until about 1pm  Wednesday with space heaters!  Crazy, huh?  All in all.  I am thankful.  Thankful everyone is safe, thankful Taylor  is getting better, Thankful my friend and her son are home, and Thankful  we have heat & electricity.  It's amazing how much we take for  granted until we lose it.  I'm hoping this week has taught me a little  bit about that.. I think it has.  Pictures to come.. I left my camera at  my parents.

We  have had quite the week around here!  For those of you who might not  have heard Kalamazoo was hit with a major ice storm this week.  It  knocked out power to about 40,000 people, and that is just within  Kalamazoo County.  This storm was talked about, but it got nowhere near  the hype the "Blizzard" got, and it was much worse.  I don't think we  were really prepared for the damage ice can do, and I can't say I want  to experience it again anytime soon.  It all started on Sunday night..  lots of rain, followed by freezing rain.. followed by freezing  temperatures.. and well, you have heavy, wet, frozen trees, power lines  and streets.  It didn't help that the wind decided to pick up.  Ben and I  literally spent most of Sunday night awake in our bed, jumping out of  bed and freaking out about each crashing sound we heard hit our roof.  I  don't know if I could ever really explain to anyone what it was like  and do it justice.  We live in a neighborhood surrounded by trees..  We  have trees hanging all over our house.. we had frozen, heavy limbs  crashing against our roof all night long.  Power lines were coming down,  and transformers were exploding.  At about 1am most of our neighbors  lost power, at 3am we heard an explosion so loud it brought Ben and I  out of bed and Ben went racing down the stairs.  It literally shook our  house and made us feel like our house was either blowing up or caving  in.  We still have no idea what this sound was...  I was not feeling  like my children were safe, and I was so worried something was going to  come crashing through our roof or through a window.  At 4:30 am after  lying awake for the past hour and a half listening to the crashing  sounds, we heard another HUGE crash followed by the sound of shattering  glass.  We ran downstairs and this time a tree limb had crashed through  our 3 season porch.  At 6am we lost power.  So, it was frozen outside,  and we had no heat.  Sweet.  Thankfully, Ben was off work that day for  President's day, so we loaded up our non-showered selves, and took the  family to Panera Bread for breakfast, and for wifi for the laptop.  We  were not anticipating that half of Kalamazoo would be in Panera.  So  many people and families in the same situation.  After Panera we went to  the library, and after that we decided to go home for naps.  We built a  fire, got everyone bundled up and off to bed.  In the meantime, Taylor  was going on day 7 with a fever.  We had already been to the Dr. 1x and  they had blown us off and chalked it up to a virus, well she seemed to  be getting sicker and sicker, and she could not get warm... but the  Dr.'s office was closed because of a lack of power so there wasn't much  we could do but wait it out.  So, after nap we decided we needed to get  to a warm place, and my Mom found us a hotel on the other side of town  because they were also without power.  After checking into the hotel we  ran out to get dinner, and we got a call from my Dad that their power  had been restored... so we celebrated and quickly canceled our hotel  room.  In the middle of all of this I got a call from my friend that our  friend's son had been admitted to Bronson.  After eating dinner with  the family, I headed up to Bronson to visit with my friend.  It was a  hard night, but being there put things in perspective.  They are going  to make it, but it was definitely a life changing event for them, and I  am praying for this new life they are going to be living.  I'm confident  God is going to take care of them, but still just feeling so sad for  them and all they are going through right now.   Tuesday morning we got Taylor into the Dr. bright and early, and she was  diagnosed with Pneumonia.  Not good.  She was very sick, but we were  thankful for the antibiotics and for a warm home to rest in.  We spent  the day at my parents, and right around 5pm got a call from my neighbor  that they could see lights at our house!  Power was restored!  We  quickly loaded the family back up and drove home.  About an hour after  being home our furnace decided to stop working!  So, I bundled the kids  up with big down blankets and multiple layers and put them to bed.  Ben  went to work on the furnace, and at about 11pm my Dad came over with  space heaters and tried to help Ben out.  No luck.  So we had to call  the furnace repair, and we basically lived upstairs until about 1pm  Wednesday with space heaters!  Crazy, huh?  All in all.  I am thankful.  Thankful everyone is safe, thankful Taylor  is getting better, Thankful my friend and her son are home, and Thankful  we have heat & electricity.  It's amazing how much we take for  granted until we lose it.  I'm hoping this week has taught me a little  bit about that.. I think it has.  Pictures to come.. I left my camera at  my parents.

Ben trying to clean up some of the mess.