Kids, Pets, Evacuations, and Family

I going to jump back in time a little bit tonight. This story took place in 2005, and while some of you may not relate to my experience, just read it for future reference in-case you are ever stranded away from home, maybe it will help you be prepared for what to expect... September 2005 we were under a mandatory evacuation because Hurricane Rita decided that our little section of Texas no longer needed trees. So we packed our most precious possessions, I took the kids and dog and my husband was to follow with his Mom and the cat, who HATES the cat jail (or carrier as most people call it). After about an hour of cat rodeo, she was in! Pick up the carrier, top pops off, cat takes off and that was that. She was on her own...  So were off to Dallas to stay with the in-law's while the hurricane blew in. Moving along... hurricane hits, no utilities at home, not allowed back into town. Fast-forward to 3 weeks of ten people all living under one roof. Kids are ready to kill each other, my husband had to return home to work and help with clean up, and me and my sister-in-law are buried under enough dirty clothes to clothe an entire army! We cooked every meal, because all of us going out to eat was even worse than cooking for everybody, and the kids room looked like it was the one hit by a hurricane. Yes, sanity took a hike and we were living on pure survival mode! Good job Kim - we did it! Thanks for letting us crash.
It was around that time that I really learned how a kind, loving word and a good-night kiss from your husband can really help out... Of course, by that time my husband had already gone home, so what to do? I did what Mom's do, suck it up and take care of business! Since that trip we have evacuated to their house two more times. Once was while they were staining the floors in their house (after applied you can't walk on them for like 2 days by the way...) and once for Hurricane Ike, picture Rita experience all over again only this time add another baby to the mix!
I really have to give it to my husband though... he kept me sane through it all. Just by reminding me that it would all be alright in the end, and making me laugh. Oh, by the way, the cat was fine. When we got home she was all stretched out on the driveway getting some sun. She looked at us like, "Where the hell have you people been?!? I had to catch my own food!"