The girls left the house on the normal Tuesday morning schedule dressed in leotards since the meteorologist said “Birmingham will not get the winter storm, maybe a dusting” and mommy thought they wouldn’t be out in the cold since it’d not started snowing or anything. Traveling 7 miles, it started snowing a little but nothing was sticking so no big deal. As schools started closing mommy decided we should go home and just have a half day at gymnastics. There was a route home without going up the steep hill like the other crazy folks that sit and watched multiple cars slid down into the ditch and followed. Almost 4 hours later we had gone 2 miles and burned little more than a 1/4 tank of gas, which was getting quite low. Also, Lisa noticed there was a rather large amount of people walking down the heavily traveled road so when she saw a coworker she asked what was up and learned a very small hill a couple miles up had caused a major pile up so traffic wasn’t going anywhere. Luckily there were jackets and the girls each had a pair if pants in the car Lisa threw in on the way out the door; plus, we were close to our church. We cut thru the grass to park the car in the safest location possible at this point with cars sliding (really missed the pilot about this time with all wheel drive and knowing it was older). When we walked in Lisa started surveying for food since lunch was over 3 hours late for two princesses that like their schedule and the fear was we would be stuck overnight or two. We got a couple things to eat and ordered a pizza since one of the children workers were heading up to pick it up (took 3 hours to get it and it was only a quarter mile away then there were more kids and homeless asking for some so we didn’t get much). People began abandoning their cars in the middle of the road without attempting to get them to the side at all in order to find a warmer place for the night – this was a surreal, felt like a movie scene. We thought about trying to weather the storm at church but uncle Mark called their youth pastor, Josh to come get us since he lived close by – warm bed at a friends house and change of clothes/warmer clothes or hard floor at church with strangers from street and more than 20 kids without a change of clothes. We opted for the house even though it meant a little hike in the cold, even though mommy slipped with Ivy on her back :(. We were so thankful for a warm place to stay, a bed, and his hospitality especially after learning how many were in a school gym but at least they had heat, there were others stuck in their cars in the cold. Josh found the girls warm pajamas and have Lisa a couple boxes of their daughters old clothes that should fit tour girls and found them warm winter jackets. Leia loved her huge doll house; Ivy took to a baby and bottle; our girls thought we were just visiting a friend. Josh cooked an amazing pot of chicken chili to help warm us up. Their neighbors gave us some diapers for the night since we were out. We let the girls stay up late to tire them out since Ivy likes the security of her crib and LOVES her paci; we had neither. Leia opted to sleep in the room with his little girl so mommy thought fabulous do mommy could focus on Ivy. It did not take long for Ivy to cry herself asleep but she had not taken a nap and it was 3 hours past normal bed time so … Not long after Ivy fell asleep Leia knocked on door and said she wanted to sleep with mommy too. So the three of us laid down. Leia asked why we couldn’t go home and seemed to understand when we talked about it then drifted off to sleep waking thru out the night a few times to make sure mommy had not left her. With both princess snuggled so closely mommy had trouble falling asleep or maybe it was the stress of the day or the fear ivy would roll off the bed or that ivy had gotten hurt when Lisa slipped on the ice while ivy was on her back or the girls would knock each other in the head – it was apparent Lisa’s mind was in over drive. After moving to end if bed and thinking about how blessed we were to be together and settling the thoughts mommy started to drift off about midnight, Ivy woke with loud screams within minutes of Lisa’s eyes closing. For 40 minutes Ivy screamed (almost non stop) – she wanted to go home to her crib, she wanted pacifier, she was hungry, or her leg hurt (the one Lisa thinks hit the ground). Mommy was scared she was going to wake everyone in the house, finally she consented to eat cheerios then fell back asleep in mommy’s arms walking around. As Lisa sit down Ivy woke with another 35 minute scream – reminder of the infant stage, only wires I couldn’t comfort her with anything. The only thing to calm her this time was mommy agreeing to hold her while watching Disney Junior and have a snack. However, throughout the night she would screamed on and off in my arms which left a sleepy mommy which leads to very emotional mommy.

Not a good sign!

Tuesday night, first time the girls slept in same bed, at least for a hour or so

Wednesday morning, Josh’s little girl Mya was the first up and inquired why Lisa looked like she ( towards the end of one of Ivy’s fits Lisa Joined Ivy which stopped the screaming as she tried to comfort mommy). Josh fixed Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast for the girls. In the midst of it cousin Stephanie assured Lisa Alex or Clark would get her home which calmed Lisa. Mya let the girls borrow warm clothes and we got to play in the snow a little bit. Girls seamed to enjoy it and mommy was thankful for the fun time! After we came in we got a bath to warm up. Alex had picked up Mimi, Mark, Sara and Katie to get them home but couldn’t leave his jurisdiction to get us home and Lisa had not heard from Clark. After watching the news, we determined it might be another day before we got home. Down to one borrowed diaper our hostess took a trip to the store a couple miles away to get diapers, wipes, food and a pacifier. Ivy zonked out when he got back and she got a paci. Their neighbors showed up so it turned into a snow/ice party. Then cousin Clark called and assured Lisa he would be there and get her home that day but it maybe a while since the two major roads were closed between our current location and home; he seemed confident though. Josh warmed up leftovers for lunch, the kids played, Josh and his neighbor traveled to rescue Josh’s wife when his neighbor hit home with his four wheel drive, Lisa kept busy cleaning, holding Ivy, and playing with kids. Then just before 5pm Clark showed up to take us home. Josh and Jenn let us borrow the winter coats for the girls, gloves, and other items and volunteered to bring the Highlander home the next day since Lisa had kids by herself. Clark had us home by 5:15 then headed home himself. The girls picked breakfast for dinner and we all crashed early since we’d gotten little sleep the night before. Miss Ivy though thought she need to cry out for a specific pacifier and to be held so Lisa was up a couple hours with her.

Thank you for the pancake breakfast Mr Josh!

Girls liked playing with Mr Josh’s musical instruments
 

Thank you Mya for letting us borrow clothes so we could enjoy the snow too
    

Leia had fun sledding with May and Mr Josh
  

Ivy zonked out as soon as Mr Josh got back with a paci

When we got home Wednesday afternoon we suited up to explore our yard and see what it looked like with snow on it. The angel we got when daddy passed away was lit up to welcome us as we walked outside too.

 

Mommy thought it would be fun to jump on the snow like she and aunt Stacy did when they were little. It was fun until the girls fell then it was all over and they wanted nothing to do with it. We needed to go back in to warm up and get dinner cooked anyways.
   

Thursday there was still snow covering ground but the girls wanted to stay inside until close to 10:30 when the sub started melting some snow but we went out to play with what was left of it. The girls got to eat some and lick a icicle which they thought was cool. We watched frozen and snuggled up to rest. Then played inside in the warmth the rest if day. Josh delivered our car about 5. That evening we made banana bread for out neighbor’s who took care if Sierra while we were trapped and delivered it. Ivy decided again that mommy should hold her and told her up telling mommy she just wanted held.

Leia Loved making snow angels! Ivy eventual tried one too but she was not a fan
  

Fun on the play equipment
 

Eating snow and icicles … yum yum
   

Fun times!
  

Thankfully Friday it did not go back below freezing so life could get back to normal. We took Ivy to the doctor to get a x-ray since she had been complaining about her leg and favoring the left one after our fall; thankfully it is just bruised and should be healed in 7 to 10 days. We also got to go celebrate Sara’s big 6 year old birthday with her (post to come).