The Story of the House Fire

I know everyone has been wondering, so here is what happened.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 started out to be a pretty fun and normal day.  The older girls were looking forward to their best friend, Micah, visiting for the day, and an overnight.  Their friend arrived and the fun started.  All three girls were attending Beautiful Unique Girl at our church later that evening.  It was a pyjama party with nail painting and a chocolate fondue!!!  I expected them home around 8:30PM but their ride was late and they didn't arrive home until shortly after 9:00PM.

In all the excitement of them coming home, we were doing many things and no one was settling down for bed.  Micah came home with a sprained ankle, so I took care of that with an essential oil (I forget which one, but I think it was Panaway).

Suddenly, I heard what I thought was my home alarm system going off.  As I went to check it out, Marrissa (with Wyatt) came up the stairs saying there was a fire in the laundry.  I was thinking, “Yeah right,” but at the same time I could still hear that beeping sound that ended up being the smoke detector downstairs.  When I got to the bottom of the stairs, and turned the corner to the washing machine, I saw flames as high as the top of the washer.

I started screaming for the children to get out, get out now.  I bolted up the stairs.  The kids listened so well.  No one stopped for shoes; they just went out onto the deck.  I ran to my desk to grab the phone to call 911.  At the same time, I ran up my bedroom stairs to get Matthias from his bed.  I had 911 on one phone and Jason’s cell phone dialed from my cell.  Jason never did get my call; he never heard it ring.

While speaking with 911, I was trying to herd 6 screaming children (they were terribly upset because their dog bolted and they didn’t want the dog catcher to get him!) out the front door, off the deck and to safety.  I had Matty in my arms and I scooped up Rayna too because she wouldn’t walk.  Apparently Kristyn gave Micah a piggy back ride as far as she could.

We stopped in the driveway to collect everyone together and re-adjust my load.  I lost the 911 operator there, so I dropped the cordless phone.  Marrissa scooped it up and carried it with her.  As I turned to lead the children down the lane, creating a plan of where I would take them, I saw Jason’s co-worker and her husband stopped at the intersection.  I started screaming her name and that my house was on fire.  She got right out and we shoved all the kids and me into the car.  They took us to safety.

Once we had all the children inside where it was warm, they handed me a jacket and sent me back to the scene of the fire.  I called to my dog that was racing around, scared and confused, but he wouldn't come to me.  I called Tammy-Lee’s home and started crying and sobbing that my house was on fire.  She didn’t even let me finish was I was saying.  She said, “I’m on my way,” and hung up on me.  I didn’t realize it and kept on talking!

The fire trucks were there by then, and people started coming.  I remember the first person I knew who arrived – Donovan – I lost it.  I clung to him and cried.  Then suddenly I realized Micah’s family didn’t know what was going on.  I had to call her parents.  Turns out they’d already been called and were coming to get her!

Somewhere in there Seven (Tammy-Lee’s DH) showed up on the corner where I was and said that Tammy-Lee was with the kids and we’d be going to their home.  So I headed there too.  I didn’t figure there was anything else I could do; Jason was on scene with the rest of the department.  I figured he could answer any questions or if he couldn’t he knew how to get in touch with me so that I could answer them.

We belted every kid in that we could and then went to see if we could catch the dog.  Chelsey and Donovan were already working on that task.  They had him on a leash and he jumped right into the van.  The children were so happy.  It wasn’t long after that we headed for “home”, leaving Seven at the scene to watch the fire with other spectators.

After this point, it’s kind of a daze.  I remember asking for a change of clothes, taking a shower, and talking to the RCMP on the phone.  I remember Reagan coming to pick up Micah and staying with me while Tammy-Lee went to pick up Seven.  Somehow my kids got put to bed.  I remember not wanting to go to bed.  I remember being so very, very cold and unable to get warm.  I remember getting a few texts from J and having to call an insurance agent early in the morning.

I’ll share more another time, as this has gotten plenty long already.

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,