Thankful Thursday

Psalm 116:7

Return to your rest, my soul,

for the LORD has been good to you.

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We had a big adventure last week.

Around 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon a loud sound rattled our house. Having seen a road crew working up the street earlier in the day, I assumed it was just them doing whatever they were doing.

But the sound didn't quit. And it was loud.

So about 20 minutes later I put Bear Cub in his exersaucer in front of the window and stepped out to see what was going on.

I didn't see the road crew, but there were 3 firemen and 2 police officers yelling at me to get back in the house. A couple of minutes later several firemen came to the door, ushered Bear Cub and me to the back out the house and had us sit in the middle of the room away from windows while they checked our house for gas. Apparently the road crew pierced the gas main in front of our house.

I texted my husband while waiting for the firemen to finish up and let me know what to do. By the time my husband got home (he only works a few minutes away) they had already issued the evacuation order so he had to park a ways away to come get us.

I grabbed the diaper bag and we headed out.

We grabbed a sandwich and did a little shopping and then stopped back to see how long we would be out of the house, and the very loud noise was still going on. At the time they told us probably between 9PM and midnight and to call dispatch at 9 to verify.

We headed up north to spend the evening at my in laws, only to be chased into the basement by a tornado warning. Yes, we sat at their house and watched on the radar as a large storm that produced a tornado, golf ball to tennis ball size hail, and lots of lightening passed over our house - where the gas was leaking and our dog was outside. Lightening and gas - not a good combination.

We called at 9 and they said that they would let residents in at midnight. So, concerned about our dog and my husbands truck, we decided not to spend that night with my in laws but to head back home.

When we arrived the street was still closed off, firemen were everywhere, and the loud noise (which we then learned was the gas shooting out of the pipe) was still going. They hadn't even been able to stop the leak yet. And they wouldn't let us in the house for diapers, toothbrushes, etc. So, we made a stop at Cub for a few essentials and ended up spending the night at the fire station, where they were kind enough to allow us to sleep in one of their dorms rooms. The three of us piled into a twin bed and tried to get some rest.

At 5 AM they finally let us go home.

This was the view from our bedroom window when we arrived. Our house was fine, the truck was fine, and our dog was frightened, but fine.

I am so thankful for God's hand of protection on our family and our neighbors. The slightest spark from the lightening on that gas leak could have been devastating, but everyone was safe.

Head on over to Women Taking a Stand for more Thankful Thursday posts.