A sad story

My grandson spent the weekend with me and when he does I share him with his Papa and Nanna who is my daughter's father (Brent) and stepmother (Carolyn). 

Matthew loves to go to Papa and Nanna's.  Yesterday before his nap I told him that when he woke up he was going to see them.  He was all excited about going but in his little mind he was going to there house and I didn't realize what he was thinking. 

They lost everything in Hurricane Rita.  They had water to their roof and all they had to their name was what they evacuated with. 

They are staying at her mothers house about two blocks from where I live. 

When Carolyn dropped him back off to me last night she says "Sharlene it didn't go well"  She said "Matthew wanted to go to our house"  They explained to him how water got all in the house and they couldn't go back.  He said "Papa, it's all dry now...let's go."

She started crying when she told me the story and so did I.  I hugged her. It tears me up because the house they lost is part of my history too and it's my daughter's childhood home.  Not only did Brent lose his house but because of the salt water of the Gulf they are unable to farm for 2 years. He has no idea what he is going to do.  The only thing he knows is farming.  When I saw him last night I just wanted to cry my eyes out.  He said "it's still unreal to me" and when you see someone you care for hurting like that and there's nothing you can do...

So many stories like that around here.  The Catholic Church in Abbeville has set aside a time for them to celebrate Mass since that area also lost their church.  I went to the mass today because that used to be my church parish when I was married to Brent.   I saw a lot of people I used to know that lost everything.  The priest gave a very touching ceremony about the strength of the people. It takes a lot of strength to endure losing everything you own.