California Wildfire Slide Fire

Hello All:



I know that many of you are watching the news and seeing what is going on in my beautiful mountain range. Yes, what you are seeing is real. Running Springs is on fire, and yes that is my home town. I have greatly appreciated all the phone calls and texts throughout the day today. I wish I could have spoken to all of you today to let you know what exactly has been happening. I also know that many of you have loved ones from the area as well as loved ones fighting the fires. I cannot express enough how grateful we are for the courageous firefighters that haven't slept as they struggle to save Running Springs and Lake Arrowhead from these horrible fires. Not to mention the other fires stretching from the Mexico border to Santa Barbara. It's a horrific sight.



As for me and my family, we are safe. My family evacuated with what they could yesterday morning and have been in Desert Hot Springs trying to get any news that they could about home. My father is braving the fire with his crew from Arrowbear in Running Springs and has been watching everything going on for the last few days and hours calling the family in the desert with updates. About 3:50pm this afternoon ( Utah time) I read on www.rimoftheworld.net (a fabulous site) that spot fires were on Nob Hill and a couple structures were burning on Willow and Poplar Drive (my parent's home streets). I found out from my dad about a half hour later that it was from two structures three homes down from my house. I left work and went to my cousin's house in Sandy. Not really knowing whether or not the house was still standing.



About 7:15ish this evening I got a phone call from my mom (followed by my dad) saying that half our home was destroyed by fire. It went up through the garage (where all my newly moved stuff from Utah was...) up into my parent's bedroom bathroom and up into the attic and trying to go across the rest of the house. They were able to put it out. Now the fear is that the roof will collapse (from the water damage) or a remaining spark will flare up again, but we will have to wait and see what happens. My dad was actually able to walk into the house and look at the damage, pretty incredible.



As of this point my brother's homes and my grandmothers are okay. We aren't sure what tomorrow and the spotfires/winds will bring us. But everyone is in pretty good spirits. I thank my Heavenly Father for humor. It has helped my family in oh so many ways. My heart and prayers go out to many of you that are wondering what is going on with your homes. I know that many many good friends have suffered great losses. I cannot express in full my feelings and support for all of you and your families through this time. Thank you as well for all of your prayers. They have been answered in so many ways, even with suffering the loss.



A question I'm sure many of you are still asking, yes I am still moving to CA. I'm planning on leaving next Thursday as planned. Most of the major roads into CA are currently closed and I'm hoping that by then I will be able to make it back safely. I really need to be with my family. I now, more than ever, know that this is what I should be doing. Thank you to everyone for your support and prayers. They have been felt and answered, I am continually praying for you as well.



Love,

Michelle

New Beginnings

Isn't it amazing that songs can speak so much?! I just discovered a new song that just speaks loads for what I'm thinking and feeling currently.

"Shadow of a Day" - Linkin Park
"In cards and flowers on your window,
Your friends all plead for you to stay,
Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple,
Sometimes goodbye's the only way,
And the sun will set for you,
The sun will set for you,
And the shadow of the day,
Will embrace the world in grey,
And the sun will set for you."

I did in fact receive the most beautiful flowers I have ever received this last week from an admirer on the production floor at work (once he heard that I was leaving for California). Thank you Joe, they were beautiful. But I've been really humbled by the experiences I've had with friends, family, etc. I've cried, laughed, reminised, etc. And it's been wonderful. I still can't believe that nine years have passed since I moved to Utah. Yes Madi, you were right, "my pink suitcase can come out first!" and Mel, you were even more right when you said, "that pink suitcase is packed and already in CA waiting for you to follow!" So true! I'm going to miss everyone that I've met in Utah. My life has been incredibly blessed with such good people in my life. I have learned a lot about myself and how to react to the world around me here both professionally, personally, and spiritually. For that reason I will forever be in debt. I know that I will miss everyone terribly. but I WILL see you again, if not in this life, in the next. Like it says in the song, "Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple, Sometimes goodbye's the only way." This is one of those cases. I love you all!

I'm so excited to be moving back to California, "right back where I started from"! I can't even express how grateful I am for such an incredible family what was willing to come (on their vacation) and drive my Uhaul with all my stuff in it back to California (without me) and unload it into the various homes. (I'm hoping that I'll remember where all my stuff is, so that when I'm settled somewhere else I'll be able to get it all back, heh. But that's a story for another time...)

Anyways, so the Michelle "Cindiana Jones" Saga continues with the new adventures of sleeping on the floor and having no furniture. I don't know if any of my readers have experienced this before but I have come up with the following list of facts so as to make this sort of move easier should you ever need to experience it:

1. Two foam mattresses are not better than one. They tend to sink in the middle.

2. Pillows (I don't care how many you have) will never work as a substitute for a bed or foam mattress.

3. Air mattresses are wonderful, but make sure that it is fully inflated or you will experience what is stated in number 1 all over again.

4. Eating yourself out of house and home should not require you to eat a full box of pasta in two days...no pasta should last that long...space it out and use different sauces.

5. Corn tortillas are good fried, but do not react the same way that flour tortillas would, therefore, plan ahead.

6. Bare walls make for great "going away parties" you can project a movie on the wall.

7. No furniture allows for more people to gather together for a party and also allows for less stress of the hostess as there is nothing left to break in the room.

8. Don't forget what you packed. You may own it, but it's not with you. Don't offer it to people. (I told a friend I had a picture for them....yeah, it's in CA already. I told another friend that I have the game of LIFE, yeah, it's in CA already. The list continues)

9. If you have a pet, keep it with you if you are going to live with no furniture. (Pepe my frog has been a life saver. I'm so glad I didn't send him with my family)

10. Thank those you love often. You never know when a change is going to happen. My family and friends have always been there for me. I love you all! I will miss those in UT. And I look forward to seeing those in CA!

Loves!
Super Mish