As I think of the events NOW, there are several little incidents that come to mind:
1. Mr. Wonderful refusing to come to bed as he "sensed" something was not right as he stared at the glowing embers in the fireplace. I can recall being aggravated that he was being totally paranoid. - So glad to say I WAS WRONG (hey, it was bound to happen after 34 years!)
2. Mr. W. being SO calm as he rounded up all the animals and bellowing at the top of his voice for me to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE - all at the same time. (First time ever that he multi-tasked)
3. Little Michael suggesting that they remove the 8 foot mirror that was attached to the wall next to the fireplace - (smart move, kiddo!)
4. Me, standing in my bedroom, gazing at its contents, wondering what I should take with me - (I grabbed Louie and my pocketbook - in that order)
5. The hoarde of volunteer firemen that appeared in front of my house - just happy to do their job. The two police officers who helped find the last cat that was scared and hiding. Virtual strangers who came to our aid - I am forever grateful.
6. The outpouring of love and support from our friends and neighbors. The reassurance and offering of lodging for us and our animals was overwhelming. I will always remember the warmth and kindness we were shown.
As I tell the story, over and over, I find myself reassuring others that we are okay, and this is just an "inconvenience". As I write this now, I realize that this was so much more.... It was a miracle that our house was not consumed in a full blaze (the fire marshall said we had approximately 6 more minutes before that happened). From now on, I will refer to this as an example of God's handiwork. God was watching over us, cradling us in His hands.
