A little perspective

Fallout from the fire:

1. The first good rain after the fire didn't take away the smokey smell... it just made everything smell like a wet campfire.
2. A little wind and rain makes the black hills not look so black after a while.
3. Many of the birds that fled during the fire have not come back. (We used to have to close our window to our bedroom in the morning-- the chatter was so loud in the trees. Now it's near silent).
4. Our beloved bees stayed. I think because they are "welfare bees". Byron regularly feeds them sugar water.
5. We still have Grasshoppers galore! Byron sprayed Seven and that has helped some.
6. If you ever have a devastating fire and lose everything, make sure you are a high level exec. with State Farm. The neighbors two houses up-- had crews on site two days after the fire. They already have new house plans approved and are about done excavating and prepping to pour their foundation. The other three houses that burned still look exactly the same. Hmmmm.
7. Insurance adjusters (at least ours) don't call back when they say they will.
8. People are kind and good and compassionate. Nearly everyone has asked us what can be done to help our neighbors who have lost everything.
9. The little things can be the most touching! Someone at church anonymously gave Greer an envelope containing two dollars and labeled "For the Barker Girls Disneyland fund". (Their moneymaking project-- the berries-- burned up).
10. Everywhere I go, people tell me they were praying for us that day. Oh, to feel so loved.