Dear Reader:

What a day and night we had Wednesday with Tropical Storm Elsa …slowly heading towards the Carolinas-the anxiety I felt had little to do with the storm itself but the domino effect on two of our families.

Mollie and the children were leaving to come home, as luck would have it, arriving at 9 Wednesday evening. She and the kids had gotten as far as Philly and were waiting to see if the green light was still on GO for the last air link to Charleston.

John and Mandy were driving back from Orlando/ Disney World Wednesday trying to stay ahead of the storm-so needless to say the rest of the family here were worried about both of them.

In fact a prayer brigade was established praying for both groups… John and Mandy got home first in the late afternoon. They had a few white knuckle moments but overall got in safely!

So now our attention turned to prayers for Mollie and the kids getting back in to Charleston! Thank goodness our prayers were answered again as Elsa began slowing down once she hit land and the storm that hit us during the late night/ early morning hours consisted of very heavy downpours and thunder/ lightning but remarkably not damaging winds -just four inches of much needed rain! The garden was smiling yesterday!

It does seem as if the Disney characters are taking the world by storm… or rather by Hurricane. Elsa, the first named Atlantic Hurricane in 2021, weakened to a tropical storm when it hit the mainland. ( I always knew there was a warm heart in Elsa under that cold exterior. In fact Olaf is on the list for any second storm)

Surprisingly John and Mandy said they pretty much did everything they wanted. By staying at the Floridian-they could see the fireworks from their balcony and had a back path to the park. The kids just loved playing in the huge pool there so it was a very relaxing Disney vacation!

When Walsh called , from the airport, to say Mollie and the children had landed-there was a collective sigh of relief. Mollie had not seen her family in over a year, due to Covid, … so happy days were here again for the Temples! * Walsh has the cutest video he shot of the kids running towards him after they landed. So happy to be back home.

So until tomorrow… By the time the remnants of the storm hit, right before 2am, I was sound asleep… happy for all the family to be home-safe and sound-with much needed rain falling-all my prayers had been answered! I love you God!

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Out of storms… come the beauty of renewal – refreshed and happy for the rain!