Ike and Let there be Light...

Well, we made it through Hurricane Ike, which hit the Houston area a week ago tonight. Let me tell you- I will NEVER ride out a hurricane again- even if its a Category 1.
It all started on Thursday when my parents and Uncle arrived from Galveston. Yes they live there and have several properties there... the scary part is that my dad was debating whether to stay or go because they weren't calling for a mandatory evacuation! Thankfully, they decided to come to Houston to our house. We had fun hanging out, eating dinner, having beverages and watching the coverage of the storm.
Friday morning, when we woke up, we turned on the TV and the surge on Galveston Island was unbelievable. I was so thankful that my parents were at my house safe and sound. At night, when the winds picked up, I started getting really scared- nervous- anxious- regretting we had stayed. We made a pallet in our master closet and the three of us (Kaylie, me, and Steven) slept in there. Kaylie slept through the whole thing! I was a nervous wreck- I could hear the howling and things hitting the roof and windows... I was so scared! We lost power about midnight.
We got up on Saturday morning and surveyed the damage- Sienna looked like a warzone! Thankfully, we lost some fence and our front landscaping... we had some friends who had their roofs caved in and then some who had severe water damage.
We went without power until Thursday night- it was awful. Thankfully, we had a cold front that made it more bearable... and we were safe. That was the main thing.
We still have no idea about my parents houses or my uncles apartment- it looks like they won't be going back there to live for some time. I'll keep you all posted when we are able to go down and survey the damage and will take pictures.
I'm so thankful we all were safe, my house didn't get damaged... and we survived to POWER for 5 nights!!! I HATE IKE!!