Do you ever have one of those days when reality pulls a quick one on you?
When you suddenly realize what's really important in life?
Well this is exactly how this particular Monday was.
I had been monitoring the weather in Oceanside, CA for 2 weeks leading up to the Wedding.
The forecast had started at 77 degrees and sunshine.
Well as I was driving to work Monday morning 11/18/13
I checked it again.
Suddenly the forecast was dramatically different.
It now said 60 degrees and 70% chance of rain.
I was mortified to say the least.
Our wedding was in 5 days!
Outdoors.
On the beach.
With no shelter.
What in the world was I going to do?!!!
So I get to work and call the wedding host.
We scramble to come up with back up plans.
I call the equipment vendor and put additional tents and umbrellas on hold.
The wedding host was beyond stressed too
as she had NEVER had it rain on a beach wedding there.
Of course,
I would have to be the first!
Well as I'm stressing about the weather and back up plans,
I get a frantic call from Ryan.
He had the day off and was at the Dentist's office.
My phone was cutting in and out and all I heard was
"...house is on fire!!"
"WHAT?!?!? WHO'S HOUSE?! OURS??"
My heart immediately started racing and I started to panic.
I ran outside my building to get better cell service.
I then could hear him,
"The Mortensens house is on fire!! I'm on my way there now!"
Tears immediately streamed down my face.
"OMG I'll meet you there!"
I ran back into my office, grabbed my laptop and raced to my car.
I texted Ashley to see if she was ok.
She immediately called me.
We were both crying.
This is your worst nightmare.
She and Cash were ok.
The other kids were at school.
She's standing on the street watching her house burn and 20 firefighters work away.
I literally couldn't get there fast enough to hug her.
It was the longest 15 mile drive in my life.
I pulled up to the neighborhood and the whole street is blocked off with multiple cop cars,
three fire engines and at least 20 firefighters.
I have never witnessed a scene like that.
There was already a gathering of neighbors and church friends.
Anthem is a way tight knit community and word spread fast.
Tyler and Ryan stood there together in shock.
I raced straight up to Ash and just held her and fought back my tears.
We are extremely close with their family
and it felt as if this was happening to my own family.
There was nothing we could do but just watch and wait.
The fire was "minimal" and had started on the roof.
But the mess was still maximum.
Within a second they were homeless, clothes less, belonging less.
The few church women there immediately went into rescue mode
and helped make plans as to what the next steps were.
The very first question,
where are you guys going to stay?
I piped up.
Absolutely they're staying with us.
Ash tried to take a second to say no we can get a hotel.
Absolutely not.
Then we all scrambled to fig out what they needed.
Clothes
Diapers
Toiletries
Insurance Documents
etc
etc
etc
I sent Ryan home to go get our house ready for them.
I stayed back with Ash.
The firemen eventually let us back into their house.
I held Ash's house and told her to brace for the worst as we walked in.
It was a lot to take in.
Some things worse than expected.
Some things better than expected.
But the bottom line,
they were homeless.
I took pictures for them of the damage while they tried
to focus on what the firemen were telling them and simply wrap
their heads around what had just happened.
We immediately got busy packing up what we could to take to my house.
Loading up totes of clothes, shoes, toiletries
Unloading freezers, fridges, etc.
The things you never think about.
Duh, the power was obviously shut off.
They had no idea when they would move back in.
So many people stopped by and offered their help.
The outpouring of love was overwhelming.
I finally had to start fielding calls/texts for them
as they had way too much to deal with already.
We all were humbled with how tight knit not only Anthem is
but also our church community.
Everyone wanted to help in some way.
In classic Mormon style we immediately had dinner delivered to our house the next few nights after.
We tried to keep our humor in tact in order to lessen the fear and heartache.
I kept reminding them,
"Remember that remodel you had planned? Well now you're getting it for free!"
See, there is a light at the end of tunnel!
But in reality the dark cloud hung over us on all the work that needed to be done
and all the unknown ahead of them.
Before I knew it it was time for me to run get Taylee from school.
I promised Ash I would be right back.
I snagged Taylee and raced back.
But first I had to carefully tell her what happened so she would know what we were walking into.
She's such a sensitive little soul.
She welled up with tears also.
The Mortensen kids are seriously like siblings to my kids.
We got back there and checked in.
Soon after it was time to go pick Anden & Grace from school.
I asked Ashley if she wanted me to tell Grace or wait and have her do it.
She told me to.
I took this task very seriously.
The whole way to their school I debated the right approach to tell her
and prayed that it would go over well.
And that I would be able to keep my emotions in check.
Ashley is a very strong woman.
I've seen her cry twice in all these years.
On the other hand I'm a softy and easily moved to tears.
Taylee and I were waiting on the school sidewalk,
just like any other day,
when the kids came out the front door.
Anden & Grace ran up to me.
Grace always begging,
"Do I get to come home with you guys today?!!"
I acted normal and told her sure thing!
So we walked back to the car together.
All the kids skipping along with no worries.
While I drug each footstep with the news I needed to tell them.
Once I got everyone buckled into the car,
I turned around with a serious manner.
They both knew something wasn't right
and were immediately quiet while waiting for me.
I then lovingly told them in a kid friendly way
that something happened today at Gracie's house.
But first know that everyone's ok.
Your Mommy, Daddy, Crew and Cash are all just fine.
Then I explained there was a fire on the roof but that the
firemen quickly came to the rescue and got it out.
However your house is messy inside and it's going to take awhile to get fixed.
Neither child had blinked at this point.
I didn't know whether to keep going on or not.
So I then said,
"But don't worry honey because you are going to come live with us for awhile."
Her face immediately lit up a bit.
I suddenly was worried that maybe she would think that she wouldn't be with her parents.
So I quickly jumped in and said,
"Oh and your Mommy and Daddy and brothers will be too."
Then her face exploded and she loudly exclaimed,
"SO I'M MOVING IN WITH YOU GUYS?!!!!"
While her and Anden immediately high fived and hugged!
I almost busted up laughing.
No mention of the fire.
No mention of her clothes, toys, belongings.
No mention of her family.
She only heard that she was moving with us!
Ahh the innocence of a six year old.
So I texted Ash that it went over well and we're on our way back.
She got a good chuckle at that story as well.
I could go on and on about all the swirling details and emotions that ensued the rest of that day
and the rest of that week.
But in reality I was so humbled that I was able to open my home to someone
that desperately needed more than I did at that point.
As I told other friends and coworkers about my Monday.
They all exclaimed I was crazy to have another entire family move in the week I'm getting married.
I said yep it sounds crazy.
But I wouldn't have had it any other way.
The kids all bunked up together and shared their clothes and toys.
The adults also shared clothes and anything else they needed.
Our house was their house.
As I finally laid down that night to sleep
I cried.
All the nerves, anxiety and emotions of the day caught up with me.
To think I started my day worrying about something as silly as weather.
That day quickly brought me back to reality
about what's really important.
I knew right then that who cares if it rains on my Wedding day.
I'll still have my kids and all my closest friends and family by my side.
And that's truly what's important.
It's now been 2 mos since the fire that rocked our realities.
They have since moved into a vacation rental home in Anthem
while theirs is under repair.
It's been stripped down to the framing
and being built back up.
Stronger and better.
And hopefully we all are too.
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