Update 1

I don't think we'll have power much longer because it keeps flickering, so I'd better do an update now while I can! It was a beautiful evening, the calm before the storm. It was actually really nice and we got our lawn chairs and sat out on the driveway watching the clouds go by and enjoying the strong breeze. There was a curfew set for 8 p.m. so we came back inside and tried to keep the kids up as long as we could. We made our central bathroom our temporary safe-room since it is in the middle of the house and there are no windows. The kids are both asleep in there now, thank goodness! The wind is really starting to pick up now and it's getting pretty loud. I can feel the windows move as the wind hits them. We are under a tornado watch until about 10 a.m. tomorrow morning, so that's what worries me the most right now. Since it's night I can't see very well...so I guess we'll just have to rely on our ears and keep praying that we'll be okay! So far there are about 250,000 people without power and they're expecting it to be a million by the end of the night. They're saying it could take up to two weeks for us to get power restored if we lose it...that really makes me nervous! We've got about 30 gallons of fuel saved up, but I don't know how long that would run the generator. I heard that there is about 40 percent of Galveston who have ignored the mandatory evacuation orders and have stayed behind to try to weather the storm and I am just amazed by their stupidity! They have been asked to write their social security number on their arms in permanent marker so their bodies can be identified later. I saw on the news that one family has a ground level house on the island who are staying behind, with a son in a wheelchair. They said they would be fine because they had life jackets! It literally makes me sick that people would stay behind and not only risk their lives, but knowingly risk the lives of their children. Their last warning was that staying to try to tough out the storm was certain death. How can people really ignore that warning? It makes me so cranky...as if you can't tell.
There are also 20 people stuck on a barge about 90 miles from the coast that were stranded when they lost power and steering on their barge. The Search and Rescue people aren't able to save them because it is too dangerous. Please keep these people in your prayers! This is such a huge, terrible storm and so many people are affected all over this coast. When this 20 foot storm surge hits it will be devastating and I'm sure there will be loss of life.

Well, that's the update for now. We're still doing fine for now, but things should get pretty bad around midnight. Well, the power is flickering again so I'd better get off now. Thank you all for your concern and prayers! I know they are heard above the howling of the winds! I'll be sure to update tomorrow morning if we have power. If not I'll update as soon as I can, and I'll do my best to keep in contact by other means as well. Love you all!!!