Stuck

You know those things that just get stuck in your head and you just can't seem to get them out?

I can remember certain things as a child - vividly. I remember riding a little three wheeler in a pasture by our house, and running one wheel upon an ant hill - and flipping it!

The thing about this story that made the biggest impression on me wasn't the wreck, it wasn't the fact that I had been responsible for injuring my cousin, nor was it the pain from a broken arm. It came with kindergarten assignments. Since it was my right arm that was broken, I was forced to use my left hand to write. All of my papers that I got back during that time had sad faces on them; with the words MESSY written on them. I was only 6, and NOT left handed. It has forever been stuck in my mind.

Tonight, I was going through Maggie's Pre-K assignments with her. Her teacher sends home a stack every week or so, and Maggie, Corbett, and I always look through them - reviewing what she has learned. She loves this, and to be honest... so do Corbett and I! Well, tonight, as we were looking through her stack... we saw this...

If you are having trouble reading the hand-written word... it reads "Hurricane"

Stuck!!

That event is forever engrained in her memory. The kids and I evacuated to my parents' house for the hurricane. Some might say going to Southeast Texas with the hurricane coming was not a smart choice. I would have to agree! I, myself, would like to erase it from my memory. But, for her... it is her therapy. After all, IKE : the FIRST word (other than her name and her brothers' names) that she learned to spell on her own! Her personal dictionary has lengthened with vocabulary, but her favorite word to write is still IKE. A catastrophe that occured 6 months ago, yet just like yesterday in her eyes. We drive down the road sometimes, and if she sees a sign or limb that is not immaculately placed... she blames Ike.

My grandparents' house is almost complete... the renovations are drawing to a close. Maggie saw it last weekend with new carpet, new furniture, new paint, new floors, and things looking more like Ikie's and Papa's house. She has decided that when things are back in place, and it is finished for good... she is throwing an "Open House" party at their home. Hopefully the moments of that night - the dreadfully scary night of the hurricane - will be replaced with a welcome home party for the house she was in that night!