Wildfires, Evacuations, and a Wedding

Friday afternoon (June 29) we, along with about 900 other households in our area, received the emergency call for immediate evacuation. For the second time in less than two years, our homes were under the threat of a wildfire.

We were on our way to an out of town wedding and more than an hour's drive away from our home when we received the call. For a moment we considered turning around, but realized that the effort would be in vain. There was no way we could make it back in time. So, as calmly as one in this situation could, we went about trying to figure a way to get someone into our home to rescue our important stuff (passports, birth certs, heirlooms, hard-drives, etc). Luckily - and mainly because of what we learned two years ago - all of this stuff was organized and easy to get to. My brother rushed to the rescue, but in the ten minutes it took from the time of the call to the time he neared my neighborhood, emergency crews had completely barricaded everyone out! Our hearts sank.

Then my cell rang. "Stephanie," my dear friend Eden said, "I'm standing in your driveway. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"God sends angels to us in our times of need.... 

Sometimes we are those angels for others!" 

While we were eagerly smiling for pictures, dancing in our cowboy boots, and eating wedding cake in the beautiful mountains of Fish Lake, this is what was happening at home:  

(Video courtesy of our amazing friends and neighbors, Matt & Jen Tall) 

Miracle after small miracle happened this weekend in a small corner of the Salt Lake valley. Mine are by no means the greatest or even the only stories. Over 900 families each have their own! No life was lost and many homes were miraculously saved. Four, unfortunately, were not. So, while I take a knee in gratitude that I have a house to come home to, I mourn for those who've lost theirs and pray that they will find the comfort they need. 

(Photos courtesy of Jay Gallacher) 

Words cannot express the gratitude I have for the firefighters, police officers, volunteers, and officials for all they did to save our homes. Your efforts were an answer to our prayers! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 

*(For information on the Sept 2010 Machine Gun Fire visit: Wikipedia  or watch this video from my neighbor  - my house is across the street, fifth one up to the right)