Running from FIRE!

I live in Oregon, as most of you, my dear readers, do. We have FIRES surrounding our area right now and have for the past two days.

Tuesday afternoon is when everything changed.

2 pm in the afternoon, it was Rest Time at our house. I sat down to do my own thing while the kids were elsewhere when a sudden shadow covered the sun so visibly that I stood up and looked out the window to see what had happened. Instead of blue sky, or even a smokey haze, a blanket of orange smoke covered the sky and swiftly blocked out the sun.

Instantly my Mama protection mode went on High Alert. I went outside to check and make sure the kids playing in the backyard were safe from smoke. I couldn't smell any so I figured they would be okay for a little bit. I went back inside and tried to relax. I tried to calm that primal part of me that said "GET YOUR KIDS OUT OF HERE TO SAFETY!"

An hour went by and that's when, not only was the sky dark with smoke and the light gone, but the smoke smell came with it. My High Alert feeling couldn't be ignored any longer. I figured I'd pack up the kids and head west for an hour and we'd be out of the smoke at least for the afternoon, so that's what I did.

Yes, I was panicking but I was also thinking practically.

We drove an hour and though some light had returned to the sky, the sight and smell of smoke still remained. Even an hour away as we waited to see what to do next we watched another orange sheet of smoke block out the sun.

We tried to get away further but there was a fire on the coast as well where we fled. We went from one dark covered town to another before I reached a dead end and ended up heading home for the night with the reassurance that "it's better there".

It wasn't, but at least the sky wasn't as dark.

We made it through the night in our house, less smoke then outside but we all woke with a headache from it. Anywhere I wanted to flee now was also covered in smoke so we sheltered in place My incredible husband procured a Air Purifier for us which helped a ton.

Our home is not currently in danger and we are taking it day by day.

Through this incident I'm reminded how powerful and instinctual God made moms. We just know when to take our kids somewhere safer. It's built in! We were designed to protect and shelter our kids, and though it's not a pleasant feeling in the moment (it feels like panic), it's purposeful and necessary. 

Appreciate the God-given instincts and insights you were given for your children. You are mom and they need you to trust those instincts in caring for them.

Much love and STAY SAFE!
-Joy

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