Reagan to the Rescue

We spent a long weekend in Cedar Falls for Thanksgiving. It was fun to be able to spend time not only with Joel's family and extended family, but also a little time with my sisters and my extended family at my Grandma's 90th Birthday party in Waterloo. I forgot to bring our camera, so please accept my apologies for the "boringness" of this post.

On Sunday we were welcomed back to our house with several inches of blowing and drifting snow. Where we live, there is not a wind break from the north - just cornfield. At our house, any snow + high overnight winds = 3' drifts and no travel in the morning. That formula held true today. The only difference? I don't have to worry about it any more! Joel had to wait for the plow and dig out his car, but I didn't have to worry about being late today, I just got to watch the show - with the kids - in our pajamas :)

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What I haven't told you is that when I was staying with Joel's parents in Cedar Falls several weeks ago, Joel tore out our front deck and walkway in preparation to build a new one. Its probably not a great idea to start a decking project in November, but I also didn't think we would get the flu and be gone so much. Joel has everything ready for the decking boards now, but can't find any straight ones to buy.

This picture kind of sums up the situation... Joel with the shovel, and Darin, our neighbor kindly helping with his snowblower. In the background is Jim, our other neighbor plowing our road. Our unfinished deck is in the foreground with Reagan and Grant (and me) watching all the action through the window.

Joel was outside attacking the large (thigh-high) drift in our driveway when he got a phone call from his job. Reagan was still in bed and Grant was playing, so I grabbed the phone and ran it outside so Joel could answer. He missed the call, so I asked how the shoveling was going. We talked for a minute, and then I got cold and tried to come back inside. The door was locked. What?!

I had Joel try it -- and yep, it was locked. As I started to panic, Joel looked around the garage for a spare key. (I knew the front door was locked because I had just closed it after letting Grant look outside.) And if you're wondering, we don't keep spare keys in our garage. All the other doors were locked, and my kids were inside all alone!

I was ready to have Joel kick the door down or call the police, but he decided to walk around and try to find a way in through the back. By this time, Reagan had gotten up and was wandering around - crying - trying to find her parents. She opened the back, sliding door for Joel and he let me in - across the unfinished deck and into the front door. Reagan to the resuce. Crisis averted.

It turns out that the handle to the garage door actually broke somehow - it wasn't locked - so Joel removed the knob and promised to bring a new one home with him tonight. What are the odds that the handle would break just at that time - with the kids alone inside?

So now, if you want to visit us (or deliver a UPS package :), the only way into our house is across the deck joists and into the front door... Come on over!