October 17, 2008, Galveston, Texas, 7:19 a.m.~

Dear Journal~

Teeka Daniels here.  (Note the location, folks!  Yes, we're back home, in Galveston!!)  We are staying with our aunt Regan and uncle Tobin until our house is finished being repaired.

I am so happy:  I was getting tired of the girls at that school calling me "Snipe", and I dropped out of Spanish-Immersion class entirely.  I couldn't handle it much longer; I was so depressed I was ready to do something drastic!!

Now I'm back at my old school, with my old friends, and I can't be happier than I am right now.  I Would be happier if we were back in our home, but at least we have somewhere to stay until repairs are completed on our home.

Uncle Tobin and Aunt Regan's place did have some damage from (Y)Ike, but nothing to the extent that ours did.  We had a lot of damage to our livingroom, our roof; over 50,000 dollars worth.  I just hope Mama and Daddy don't have to pay it back; they don't have that kind of money!!

My little brothers are laughing, playing again; they are no longer acting like scared little rabbits.  It's good to hear their tinklin' laughter instead of fighting and/or crying!!

I am getting excited:  in about a month is my favorite time of year:  Thanksgiving, followed closely by Christmas.  I also am looking forward to the Hallowe'en party at school; they always put on a killer bash that can put others to shame.  They have a costume-judging contest, games, a haunted mansion, and food and candy galore!

Mama still has her job; she just transferred to a different department, and she of course transferred back home to Galveston.  As for daddy, he's still looking for employment.  I don't know why people won't hire my daddy:  he's a great worker!  I am still praying hard for my poppa-daddy!

I do have some sad news in all of this:  our disabled granny died in the storm.  They found her body about two weeks after the fact.  I am sad; I really loved my granny!  I was hoping  that she'd gotten away from (Y)Ike, but (Y)Ike was too ferocious, too strong, for her to get away.  She didn't have the means to get away in time.

We went to a memorial service for the victims of the hurricane; it was a very sad, serious affair.  I don't know when I've cried so much like I did back then!

I am glad that's overwith; however, I still feel sad, somehow empty inside.  Over 30 people perished in (Y)Ike, and some are still unaccounted for.  So the death toll may very well go higher.  It's a terrible time; people are still cleaning up, and there are still some poor, unfortunate souls without power or a place to go to.

We were one of the luckier ones.  Our place was damaged, but it is fixable; the digs we're staying at now is only a temporary thing.

Well, I am going to mosey along now.  I am at school as I write this; if the homeroom teacher sees me writing on my laptop she may get sore, and I don't want her mad at me, to start my schoolday off on the wrong paw!  I will write in here again; hopefully things will continue to improve for us!  I can only pray and hope!

Bye for now!  God bless!

~Love, your friend, Teeka Daniels. :)