literally! i am stuck in houston due to ALEX. it has been raining for 3 days and today is the worst, and of course it is the day i have planned for going back home.
my mom wants to fly home with me for one night and then get in the car with her husband and drive back to houston so they will have a car for the month that she will be here. her treatment should start monday afternoon.

here is my dilemma - already we were not getting back home till 9pm tonight. now my flight has been canceled, but they assure me theyll get us on another flight for tonight. who knows what time we'll get there?! then my mom thnks shell be able to get in the car and drive back here tomorrow - and be in houston by sunday night. shes crazy. i just want her to stay here and wait for her husband but she won't. shes napping right now so she doesnt even know our flights been canceled.

i swear, when life is at its worst, its like everything bad that could happen, WILL HAPPEN. we just cannot get a break!

I guess someone was looking out for us today and knew I needed a BREAK@! Yesterday after gathering some information about local churches that help house families in their apartments, I called around. The social worker at Anderson told me it would be very hard to get in anywhere so soon - we needed Monday. Well after learning my flight was canceled, I called the airline frantically trying to find a new flight. nothing was available, evne on other airlines. And we were supposed to check out of our room in a few hours; we were getting an employee rate thanks to a friend back home.

while all of this is going on, a lady from an organization i applied at online called my stepdad back home in NC (i listed their home phone as a contact). she told him they had something available and he, not knowing at the time our flight was canceled, told her we'll take it, but we wont be checking in till Monday. And she says that is fine but has to start charging rent as of today.

A while later I call my stepdad and tell him we cant get home and have to check out of the hotel and he informs me of the woman thats called! So I give her a call and inform her that we're basically homeless at the mo! She was like an angel. She was in the middle of doing something and dropped everything to meet us at the apartment complex to get us settled in. We're paying only $34 a day for a 2 bedroom fully furnished place. Theres even a pool here! Its so 'homey' andcomfortable. My Mom is already fast asleep in the oversized recliner.

The angel lady called me a little while ago to check in on us. I told her how grateful I was and that I think this all happened for a reason b/c my Mom didnt need to do basically a cross country trip via car back here in 2 days. She went on to tell me that she was thinking the same thing the whole time. She said it is so RARE for a family to get an apartment so soon. She said she had called about 20 families prior to getting to us and nothing was working out; numbers didnt work or people changed plans. She said she knew God wanted her to keep calling b/c she hadnt reached the right family. So she called us today, on a Friday, even though their office is closed on Fridays. And technically, she wouldnt have called us until Tuesday b/c Monday is a holiday.

Everything today happened so fast...I feel like someone is finally taking care of us. I miss my husband so much but I know Im doing the right thing. Now I'll just stay here with Mom in the apartment till my stepdad makes it here.

I guess this thread went from angry and frustrated to joy and relief. Its crazy what a day can do!

I loved reading your post. Finally, you and your mom have gotten a break. Sounds like its the perfect place and very affordable. Things are starting to come together and now your mom can get rest she needs. The weight of the world is now off your shoulders. Go take a nice swim and relax yourself. You done good

Emily,

Well, guess I need to follow my gut because I started a reply to you after your frustrated post to say that, all of the delays and cancellations were probably for a reason and in the God's plan for you. I opted to not post it because I didn't want to sound too preachy/PollyAnna, etc. I just had a feeling that there was a reason for it and that it would work out.

So glad that your angel lady was there to help you in a very scary time and that your Mom does not have to make that trip when her body is so frail.

Hugs, Deb

So glad to read this post. So glad that things worked out. God does work in mysterious wonderful ways.

Emily,

I'm so happy that your "angel" is watching over you and how perfecting things worked out. I agree that your mother really didn't need a long car ride, she needed to rest. I'll continue to pray that her treatment will be as successful.

Emily, reading your post put a BIG smile on my face. Thank God for the "angel lady". Sometimes things do work out. It sounds like you and mom are at a great place. I was worried about your mom's cross country journey. She needs to rest and get strong and that car trip would have been brutal for her. Happy 4th of July! You are an incredible daughter!

thanks guys!! im just doing what i hope anyone would do for their own mother. i know as a teenager, im not sure that i would be able to handle all of this. i probably would have been more disconnected. im thankful that i am capable of doing everything possible to help.

in other news - my stepdad left NC yesterday morning and is now only 2 1/2 hours away!! he stopped at a rest stop last night and slept for about 5 hours and got back on the road. its a 19 hour trip from home. he's a man on a mission!

i also have a blog where ive been documenting our journey, if youd like to follow its at http://erthy-e.tumblr.com/

Things do work out in mysterious ways. I have been following your posts and your mom would have had a very hard time making it back to NC and then just turning around and driving back to TX. The stress would have been unbearable for her. Car rides and ill people do not mix! I'm glad your "angel" came through. Your step-dad did right by taking a "short" break by getting some sleep before continuing. The gas breaks and bathroom breaks don't give you the energy or drive a person needs to get to their destination in "a hurry". I have done a lot of cross country driving during my time and a 5 hour stop at a rest area does wonders.

Linda

I made it home but now am not feeling any better. Apparently Mom started bleeding today, it drained out from an open hole on her cheek.
She called her dr at anderson..he said whatever it is, showed up on her ct scan and hes going to talk with her about it tomorrow. shes going in at 9am.
im very very scared this is something serious and will cause her to not be able to start treatments