My sister-in-law, Andrea called Vann this afternoon in anguished tears and told him their house had burned today. Andrea and our brother-in-law, Greg live in Birmingham, Alabama.
They don't know how it happened but suspect it started in the guest bedroom or living room somehow. This is a house that Greg built with his own hands about 20 years ago.
Andrea and I are the same age and have been friends longer than Vann and I have known each other. We have been friends since the beginning of our freshman year of college. When I had known Andrea for a month, I felt as if we'd been friends our whole life. I'm grieving with them tonight. Andrea was my maid of honor in our wedding. Andrea and I went to school with Greg.
We're very thankful that they weren't home, but everything is gone. Andrea said a part of a wall is standing and their concrete steps to their house and that's it. Their two kitties were in the house, too. This is so raw.
Tonight, with Vann being in N.O. and me having a ton of feelings, I went to Walgreens, Target and over to the inn to chill and get ready for guests. I watched some of "How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days" but couldn't focus on it.
Gone are the family photos, the antique spool bed, the antique rocker, the marble top table, the maple dining room set...all family heirlooms. As Andrea said, "it was just stuff, but it was their stuff." Exactly. Both Greg and Andrea (and Vann's) parents are all in heaven. A lot of the "stuff" had been their families and was what they had remaining. Like I said...raw.
Andrea said all they have now is their cars, their cell phones and the clothes on their back. wow.
I go between wanting to hop on a plane or in my car and head that way, but as Vann and I discussed it, Greg and An need a time to grieve together first.
When I get like this, I get stuck on the why's and what is lost to them. I have a hard time praying and talking to God. I'm not mad at him, I just don't want to talk. I usually write in my journal and now, I'm blogging. It seems to unlock the feelings somehow.
I want to DO something, but don't have the foggiest idea of what to do.
Dazed,
Lila
2 comments:
I'm so sorry to hear that. It makes my heart ache to think of having to deal with a loss like that...
I will pray for them and for you, my friend.
Is that female or human that makes us need to DO when people we love are in crisis? It's overwhelming!
I was just telling Troy last week I can't imagine starting over after a fire. My house flooded and my sheetrock and baseboards were ruined. That was difficult, but VERY fixable. And my STUFF, I was able to sift through and salvage most of. It's the stuff. We try so hard not to be attached to it, but we are. I am so very sad for them.
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