The loss and love...

The Kitchen Aid Mixer

Well, Covered In Crafts will be on hold for a little while. On January 6th at 11:23pm a fire started in our home. The fire spread very quickly and even though the amazing people at the volunteer fire department gave it their all, almost nothing survived.

The house burned completely up to my daughter's room. The fire department got the flames out before it took her room. We were able to dig a precious few items. They are water damaged and smoke/ash filled but have been cleaned up to our best.

Even though we lost 99.9% of our things we feel so blessed because EVERYONE lived, even the pets! I will admit, I did run back into the house after Malice (black cat) and I will even go ahead and admit that I ran to my daughter's room in the midst of the black smoke and chaos for everything I could grab. To tell you the honest truth, I was going to go back in again after her dollhouse and anything else from her room that thought I could drag out but the flames were already in the kitchen and the smoke was so thick I didn't think I could make it.. Don't even start to lecture me, I lived so let's just move on, okay?

The fire inspector's official statement was that it was a result of an electrical short.

Lesson time. Please, step away from this post this very second and go check your smoke detector. I'll wait...

When we were sitting there in the freezing cold watching our memories and treasures burn away we thought maybe we could borrow some blankets and a coat... we had nothing but the pajamas on our backs. Did you know that the Red Cross just shows up?? Apparently the fire department or 911 calls them. They gave us a debit card with some money for clothing and food. Gosh, when you have nothing.. I can't even tell you how that feels. They even gave our daughter a teddy bear. :,) To have something in the middle of watching everything disappear, well, it was powerful. That is one charity that we will support for the rest of our lives. Go Red Cross!

Crystal ball my brother got me in Japan

The outpouring of love and support we have received has been so amazing. People we didn't even know cared about us, heck, people we didn't even know at all have been so caring, giving and compassionate. We received so many cards and messages from people who had lost their homes in the past and those who have lost family members. It's so heartbreaking... and it's a good reminder that what we lost wasn't the worst that it could have been. We are so so lucky to be alive.

Another lesson, are you ready? Find out about your insurance. Do it today. We had a policy that only covered the house so we are starting over from square one by ourselves. If you rent, get renter's insurance. If you have a home, make sure your policy gives you something that you can use to start over. This is so important! I failed my family in this. Please take that as a lesson and protect yours.

Do not worry for my family. In time we will be back in a home and have things again. For now we are blessed to have family. We are staying with a friend. She has given us all a room to share and a closet. Oh to have a closet! Oh to have clothes to put in that closet! If you have been through this you will understand how powerful and amazing it is to have the simple things again.

I'll see you soon. ;)