My son and myself just got up not even fifteen minutes ago.  

We are trying to wake up and get our bearings together.  Then, when the hotel cafeteria opens, we will both eat breakfast, then we can continue on our (not-so-merry) way to only God knows where.  As long as it's as far away as possible from Texas, then that's fine with me.

As  you know, wifdfires continue to burn.  More homes/property are being consumed by the flames.  We lost our home; we left with only a few possessioins and the clothes upon our backs.  Even managed to save my laptop, important papers, and Seth's wheelchair.  (Seth is my son.  He is physcially disabled.  He cannot walk excepting for short distances, and then, when he does, it's on crutches.)

My neighbor managed to escape too, but I don't know where she will be going.  Hopefully she is heading up in the same direction as I am; maybe we will meet each other while on the road.  I hope so; I really liked my neighbor.  She lived next door to me for a number of years.

I love Texas, don't get me wrong, but after the summer we had (between the lack of rain, the relentless heat, and now the fires/winds, which only seem to make the problem even worse), I have decided to move away.  It is with a heavy heart that I leave my beautiful Texas home and stake new claim elsewhere.  Maybe we'll end up settling somewhere in the High Plains, the Midwest, or maybe even out west somewhere: only God knows.  It's His call.  Wherever He decides to send us, that is where we will go.

I know people up north are going to make fun of my strong Texas drawl, but at the moment, I don't care.  As long as I'm far away from the fires, then that's all I care about.  I'm just glad that I was able to get Seth, grab some things, and get the heck outta Dodge, before the fires got a chance to swallow us up alive, along with everything else.  

We may be homeless now, with only a few possessions between us, but I'm trying to remind myself (and Seth) that while we may have lost our home, a home can always be replaced whereas a human life cannot.  Same applies to a furry or feathered life.  Animals can't be replaced either.

Well, after we eat in about a half hour, we will get our things, check out of the motel, and get going on our trek northward.  Just pray for a safe trip for us and pray that we can find a new place to call home.  And continue to pray for rain/relief for Texas and for the firefighters fighting the ongoing fires, as well as the people in the paths OF these fires!   I (and Texas) would greatly appreciate it!  Thanks in advance!

~To be continued.~