Friday Night

I am in a sewing club and we do a Christmas Party every year, we eat in Ottumwa and then we go to Wal-Mart and purchase gifts for an I Care Family in Bloomfield. Well that was fun we went had a good time, left Ottumwa around 10:30, get home pick up kids from Aunt Amanda( thanks a bunch) and head home. Brandon is deer hunting this weekend (1st shotgun season in Iowa) and the group he hunts with has a ritual to hang out Friday night and enjoy planning the next two days of hunting and they are usually out very late, so he was not around.
I turn the corner by an Uncles house and notice a large orange glaze in the sky, the same direction of our house, I get closer and notice flashing lights and the glaze is large, high and really really close to our house.

My thoughts- "the kids are in the car, Brandon is surely not at home and he is with 7 other grown boys(they are probably okay), okay I guess the possessions in our home aren't near as important as the 4 of us, the dog can surely run away she wasn't locked in the garage, our Christmas tree and Christmas presents can surely be replaced, we will find somewhere to start a new home and well mom and dad may have company tonight."

I continue to drive and thank my lucky stars the boys are both asleep, so they aren't scared, because anybody around me in the vehicle would have been scared, although I don't think I said a word! So I continue to drive and instead of turning right to go home, I went straight, pulled in mom and dads driveway walked in and said, "Something is on fire, and I am afraid it is our house!"
They were clueless and startled, but dad got dressed, (pretty fast for 57) and got in the car with me. On the way my sister had been coming home also and they had also noticed the large orange glaze in the sky!! She called several times and I know she could sense the helpless, scared voice of mine, but they called as dad and I get 1 mile away and say, NO your house is not on fire, but the fire is between your house and Troy.

I get home, put kids to bed and remember how thankful I am to have a home, kids, safety and support so close to home!

An old barn about 1 mile away burnt, not sure why, but this morning we drove by and discovered what is was. Thankful it was not a home!!!