My heart was shaken, but it is full.
I am full of gratitude for a good, loving, God.
First, life is precious and so fragile. That hit home today. One day you are living your life.. the next, you could be gone just like that. We are at the mercy of a world bound by laws... but we are also in a world that is under the power of a loving Father.
I think those two balance eachother out perfectly.
Today Jaron left the house to go exercise at the gym. He hadn't been gone for even a minute before Grant came running in the house saying "The neighbors house is on fire and dad ran over there."
I walked outside with baby Eden in my arms, trailed by my other three littles, and sure enough.. there was a ton of smoke coming from the Baeza's house across the street.
Time is an earth thing.. it isnt real. It is crazy how time speeds up during situations like this. The whole ordeal must have taken 15-20 minutes tops but it felt like an hour.
I heard screaming. I could hear Junior and someone else screaming for Anita. I could hear hysterical crying and screaming and windows breaking. I could see the smoke coming out faster and faster.
I could not see Jaron.
I couldnt hear him talking or anything of his voice.
Besides the awful sounds.. it was quiet. I kept waiting to hear sirens.
There were none.
I called 911.
They said "They got it". It had already been called in.
But no professional help was there..
No loud sirens.
No lights.
I listened hard.
Waiting to hear some faint siren in the distance. Some promise that someone was on their way..
But there was nothing.
Just the desperate screams, deep coughs from inhaling smoke and sounds of glass being broken...
The lack of noise was awful.
It was heart wrenching.
We all thought someone.. or someones.. could be inside.. helplessness filled the air and was thick and heavy like the smoke.
The silence meant no help was coming.
Knowing him.. I knew there was a very real possibility, that he would not hesitate if he felt prompted..to have gone into the burning house to search for anyone inside because there wasnt any other help there.
For all I knew, Jaron had gone inside and never come out.
The kids and I knelt down right there in the driveway and prayed. I prayed for anyone inside.
I prayed for my husband who could be inside.
We prayed for Angels. We prayed for miracles. We prayed for help. For safety. Especially for Jaron to be safe.
There was nothing I could do to help with the fire. I couldn't go over and ask and make sure Jaron was okay that he wasnt inside... I had all my kids and the baby. But I looked over and saw Sabra and she had all the babysitting kids.. so i swallowed my own fears about Jaron and went to try and help Sabra. I took Isla and another little girl with me to the house and got them settled. I went back with another stroller to gather more babies.
I finally saw Jaron, I was SO relieved he was okay but I saw that he was holding something but I couldn't tell what. It looked like he was holding his arm (he was but I wasnt sure) but I had no idea why. I was just glad I could see him. But I wondered for a moment if he had gotten hurt.. but I made a choice and went to Sabra because Jaron was still over by the fire.
As I got there she told me nobody was inside. They all thought Anita was inside because she never leaves her van and her van was home. They could also hear her phone ringing from the inside. But she had actually stepped out and gone to lunch with a friend.
Miracle.
Sabra didnt need me to take any more kids. They were being picked up by parents. But I kept the two I had just to try and help.
Then the firemen finally arrived... which felt like an eternity too late.
I finally got to talk to Jaron for a moment.
He was hurt. He had a very bad laceration on his arm. Once they had broken a window he tried to move a curtain to see inside the house but didnt see glass and got cut very badly.
He showed me his arm and it was obvious he needed help.
My mom arrived at the same time as the firemen.
Janell Jensen had told her there was a fire call for a house on Diagonal and my mom thought it was ours so she came back from Toph's house.
It was another miracle that she came when she did because Jarons arm gushed blood if he didnt hold it shut and he needed stitches badly so I went with him to the hospital and my mom and Taylor Bryant (who had come wanting to help also a miralce) watched all those kids while we went to the ER.
So many lessons. So many miracles.
A miracle that Anita was gone with a friend.
A miracle that Jaron got cut because he said he probably was going to go in the house if he hadn't.
A miracle that isla (sabra baby) didnt walk over there by herself like she usually does.. she could have been in there when the fire happened.
A miracle that my mom showed up right when she did.
A miracle that Eden took her first ever bottle (breastmilk inside) without any problems at all while we were at the ER.
If anyone would have been in that house they would have died.. the ambulance and firemen took so. Long. Again. I know it was only 10 minutes but when a life could be hanging in the balance.. especially with fire or any other emergency.. every millisecond counts.
God protected so many today. He was here.
And I had the thought today... "this is going to open doors." And it has.
I feel that my mission here is to be a great or even best friend to Sabra. I know we are meant to be in each others lives. I dont know why but I know we are. And it did open a door because she text me tonight and asked if we could be best friends!
God knew.
He already knew.
I am so grateful everyone is safe.
I am glad Jaron is safe. And alive.
I am grateful for Good people and a good God.
I am grateful for the hospital being fast and Jarons arm getting taken care of.
I am grateful for modern AND holistic care.
I am grateful for Gods timing because it is so good.
I am also grateful for frozen pizza and oreos.
also- we are buying fire alarms and making escape route plans.
Life is so fragile and accidents happen or can happen every day. I am so grateful for the protection we have had in our lives. For us, family, friends and us all.