Thank You

Thank you so much to everyone who has offered to help my parents in any way they can. It really means so much to me that people have been so supportive through all this.

My mother called me this morning to let me know that they did make it there, and that they are okay. She told me that they do have a roof and an attic, but everything below that was gone. Apparently it is just an attic standing on the studs of the house with no walls or anything. So things in the attic should be okay, but they haven't been able to get up there yet and find out for sure. So there are things in the attic like a box of children's books (that we were saving for their someday grandchildren), a few Christmas things, maybe a Christmas tree, my mother's angels that she collects for Christmastime, and maybe a few other things. She did find mine and my brother's senior portraits... mine was in really good condition, but my brother's picture was a little water-damaged but the frame was still in good shape. She had taken them off the wall and wrapped them in a blanket and laid them on a bed. The bed is gone, but somehow miraculously the pictures were there. A painting of their church in Madison that was done by a church member and framed and given to them when they left was also found and in good shape. They found a couple of quilts (they are filthy though, with no way to wash). There was an end-table in the front yard, a pillow sham from their bed was found on Beach Blvd, and a sofa cushion was found in someone else's yard. So stuff is basically scattered around, and things are just being found here and there. They still can't figure out how all the furniture is gone, though... except for a daybed that managed to hang on. My dad is still hoping to come across one of their kayaks somewhere, since we can't really see how a kayak could be easily destroyed, but who knows where they may be.

But they do have a bedroom to stay in now. No water or electricity or gas anywhere, but where they are staying they have a generator and some fans. My mother said they have plenty of food because the daughter of the people they are staying with has been going back and forth to Pensacola. They were able to wash off some in the swimming pool that is there, too. She said they may see if they can possibly find an apartment or extended stay hotel or something in Mobile, AL (Mama works at a hospital there) to stay at short term, but I have a feeling that may be a bit difficult to find. Mobile is gradually getting power back, and things are looking better there day by day.

So right now I don't know really what to tell people that they can do, but if I find out things that can be done, I will definitely let y'all know. I know that they have no clothes... they took very little with them when they left, and they have had no electricity or means of washing anything since they left. I did find out an address where they are staying right now, but they have no post office, so I don't know what will be done in terms of mail service to the coast right now. Anything could be sent to me, and I could take it to them. I'm planning on going as soon as I possibly can... hopefully next weekend or the next at the latest. I just want to go be with them and do whatever is needed and take as much stuff to them as I can.