Roller Coaster Emotions

I’ve been on an emotional roller coster of emotions this week both from the disaster down south and personal events. Being relatively close to the disastered areas, Montgomery has found itself as a safe shelter for those fortunate enough to escape. Some friends of our were able to escape. Natalie and Chris had just moved to Metarie so she could do her residency in Psychology. We found out Tuesday that they in town but that they had renters insurance but no flood insurance. I’ve not seen a lot of footage from the Metarie area so I don’t know how much they actually lost. From all other accounts, my mind automatically goes to the extreme. Gas prices soaring and shortages are hit and miss here though I believe more on a panic basis than on the actual scarcity of gas issue as is further down south. Several churches in the area have opened shelters and schools have relaxed their enrollment requirements to get those students who have evacuated, in school as soon as possible. We’re told that those places south of Evergreen (just south of Belle Zora) are much more worse off than we are. Thats only about an hour and a half away.

I realized this week that I have entered into the phase of my life where friends of mine are actually getting divorced. We heard this week about a couple that had and it totally took everyone by surprise. I don’t know if it is my age or if it is the fact that now that I’m married, I’m surrounded more by those who could actually get divorced rather than just hearing about others that we’re not associated with that much. It’s been hard to swallow as Joel and I have gone through the same curriculum that they have and they seemed to lead a normal life and marriage in front of everyone.

My trip this weekend has also been threatened which I must say has made me deal with anger issues. This weekend, Joel and I are supposed to go to Asheville, NC to celebrate our 2nd anniversary and then head up to Knoxville to see my sister and her family. We have both waffled as to whether or not we should go and if it is the prudent thing to do but I think we have decided that we’re going. All of our reservations are nonrefundable and I’m sure they would work with us seeing the circumstances, I really am looking forward to getting out of town, if nothing else but for my sanity. Gas will be high though it is a price I’m willing to pay this week. Next week, I’ll start carpooling and cutting back.

I made a new friend this week at Bible Study. Her name is Rebecca and she is relatively new to town. Her husband is military and they’ve been here for almost a year now. They are about half way through a twin pregnancy, she is my age, lives around the corner from me, and as of this week, sings in choir with me. She asked me Tuesday night if she could go with me on Wednesday. It made choir so much more enjoyable for me as I had someone to ride there and back with me and another female with whom I could just talk. I look forward to see where this one goes.

Joel and I watch the coverage on TV each morning and each night to keep abreast of all that is everchanging. So many nights I have found myself asking him to change it so it isn’t the last thing on my mind before I go to sleep. There have been nights that I have cried as I finally let myself relax, not for my issues, but for the unknown of others and the sheer depravity of others.

I’m hoping to end this week on an extremely positive and warm emotional tone as if to say, “the ride is over, please exit to the left and collect your belongings on your way out.”