At two-something I awake to hear loud talking and people running around in our house. Less than a few seconds later Leah runs down our hallway saying almost in tears: "Hanna (gasp) Mom says there is a (gasp) guy in the back yard shining a (gasp) green light on the house!" That jerked me out of my groggy sleep and got me taring myself out from under the covers. I grabbed a sweater (I was wearing a tank and shorts) and ran down the hallway, Leah running behind me. When we got to the bottom of the stairs and Mom, Nathan, Lydia, where crowded around Mom and the foot of the stairs almost crying. All I could say was: "What is going on?!" Contrary to what Leah had told me, Mom said: "There is a fire in the back yard. Get out front and don't come back in till I tell you to!" Right about then I got so scared that I partially broke down and cried. Pictures of black, half standing houses from the news flooded my mind. Then, everyone all began a chorus of: "I have to get Kitty (Leah's stuffed cat)!" or "I have to go get the guinea pigs, Mom!" And we even got a: "MY BARBIES!!!" Other than that Lydia told us later that she had been crying: "Jesus, help us!" all the way down the stairs. We piled out onto the porch and stood shivering and crying. Some of us anyway. Every one periodically would say: "I'm so skared." We all where about to pray for Daddy's protection (he was trying the to hose down the flames wile all this was going on), for the house and that everything would be alright. But before we even said 'Dear, God.' two police cars pulled up to the side of the road. Following them came a HUGE fire truck and right behind that came an ambulance. Thank God no one needed it! The police where already talking to Mom when the firemen where heading to the back to see how Dad was fairing. I don't think I have ever been so relieved to see any guy not related to me come to the rescue. After Dad had the fire out the firemen helped Dad pull off the burnt siding in the back (I'll explain that later) and then they checked for heat and smoke with this awesome video recorder looking thingy. Then two firemen proceeded to clomp upstairs and look around in our room and the crawl space. There was smoke in the attic so they wanted us to keep the door open. There was allot of talking and looking around and then they slowly moved out and went back to the station in town. Here are a few pics from last night and today.
