Katrina, On-Going

I speak to my sister in law at least once a week. She is a second grade teacher on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Her school was destroyed by Katrina. Her room gutted. All the things a teacher collects - books, CDs, pictures, her professional tools - all gone. And she's lucky. She still has a home. Her best girlfriend lost everything. Home, autos, all belongings - and now it looks like her marriage will be the next casualty.

It is good to talk to the SIL. I absolutely love her. My Mom and I credit her with literally saving my brother. He had the goodness in him - he just needed a strong, take-no-crap sort of woman to bring it out. And that she has. He has gone from lost and self-destructive to responsible, hard-working, loving, dedicated, engaging and someone I actually like to be around. It almost sounds patronizing for one grown sibling to say about another grown sibling - but I am so proud of him.

I have been told that post-Katrina, my brother was the driving force for SIL's family and neighborhood. That he kinda took charge and knew what needed to be done. Fuel, food, water, clean-up - he got it taken care of. Probably had something to do with us hearing about Hurricane Camille from our Dad our entire lives. We've heard the stories hundreds of times about Dad and the generator and siphoning gas and everything else he had to do to take care of our Grandparents and Great Grandparents back in 1969. We just grew up with the understanding that you take care of your own - and you best be PREPARED to do it yourself. (a huge lesson the rest of the Gulf Coast recently learned the hard way.)

But about my Sister In Law, I simply adore her. If I could pick a sister - she is it.

Our kids, my three and her two - are stairsteps. My DD#1 is 6, her son is 5, my DD#2 is 4, her daughter is 2 and my son is 19 months. It's Romper Room LIVE when we get together - which isn't nearly often enough.

But when we talk now - she is almost always so sad. The stories of loss never cease. It would be easier for her to tell me the folks she knows that still have a home - than the other way around. It is that bad. The gym at the school she is working at houses supplies for the teachers and staff. Not so much books, pens and paper. but shoes, clothes, toiletries, etc. 70% of the teachers lost everything.

President and Mrs. Bush visited their school last week - when the students finally came back. They actually broadcast his comments from my nephew's kindergarten class. Not a fan of his (Bush) but I liked him that day. For at least one day, SIL says they had something to focus on and think about other than Katrina. She says if someone wants to do something nice - they could send Popcorn to the kids at her school so they could have a Popcorn Party.
Popcorn.

I have invited my folks and my brother with his family to come to Texas for Thanksgiving. I can't make it over there - DH has to work. And they need a break - from all the destruction. I need to see them. I tend to doubt they will come - it is a long drive - but I am hopeful.

Last night was flipping through a few scrapbooks. Found several pics of my kids at locations on the coast. Going to Ship Island. On the beach in Gulfport. In the hotel. At the hotel pool.
Kept flipping the pages - and repeating the same word - Gone.
Flip
Gone
Flip
Gutted
Flip
Gone

kinda relieved I am not going home for Thanksgiving.
Postpone the inevitable. facing reality.