Fires of Colorado and what strength means...

~This past week has been literally a roller-coaster ride of emotions, mixed with fear, trepidation, anxiousness, sadness, and finally hope, happiness, laughter(Eventough not an emotion!) and finally relaxing a bit...As most of you know Colorado was threatened with a horrible wildfire that started about 10 days ago. Started in the mountains West of us and about 20 minutes or so in drivng distance. It is still under investigation as to if it is/was arson but many are lead to believe that it was the work of one or a few setting small fires here and there that sadly led to the loss of 2 precious lives, 226 or so homes lost, thousands and thousands of beautiful Colorado mountainside, not to mention poor air quality for 10 tens now has left many to include myself aned my kiddos with a horrible cough that will not go away. Currently the fire is listed at 45% contained which is simply a God send, a miracle or whatever you choose to believe! Over 220,000 hours have been logged by these firefighters which I read today equates to 39 years of service! WOW! Last saturday I sat here seeing the fires brewing over the hills and a sense of doom had set in for all residents to include myself, my neighbors, family from afar, etc...I attempted to go to bed Sunday night but literally it smelled like a campire had errupted in my front room, my bedroom, heck all rooms in my house! I had to shut all our windows and move myself and my kids to the basement for some cooler air as without windows open or my small AC units my house was nearing 90 degrees that night! We all slept fitfully, and fear had set in. Monday morning as I drug all 4 of us to base for work and daycare the air was red, and foggy...with ashes beginning to fall. My co-workers and I were all in a daze Monday and into Tuesday when evacuations began, people I know had to leave their homes and seek refuge with friends, family or in shelters...It was simply surreal! I sat glued to the TV until 1am Tuesday morning in shock...I could see flames from my back yard area and front yard, about 15 minutes drive away I would guess...But the smoke was intense, it engulfed us all! Like a soggy blanket you could not get rid of! AWFUL! My kiddos have Asthma, it only gets bad when induced by something, something LIKE SMOKE! Needless to say days later my kids are still needing breathing treatments, but are getting better! Thank goodness! Currently the air quality is getting better BUT we are still not out of the danger area. The hot tempuratures mixed with no rain equate to a bad situation...I pray the fires get better, each morning and evening I turn on the tv and wait with bated breath...Praying that it has gotten better and not worse. Today the kids and I got back to our "routine", we ran errands, washed the car, went to Cracker Barrell and tried to resume normalcy. We are back upstairs sleeping so fingers crossed it can continue this way! This week also taught me immense patience, I felt the hand of God on my shoulder as I was crying out of sheer exhaustion with breathing treatments throughout the night and no sleep and the intense heat. The single parent gig is no joke and I will not complain, I love my kids more than anyone or anything. I will tell you though I need a break, at some point I hope to have that soon. I am in the searching phase for babysitters, I pray God helps me find one! :) I guess in the end I am a mommy, who does her best and need to dig deep, pray often and reamin positive and hopefull! I will attach several pictures of this weeks fire. Please continue to pray for the safety of our amazing firefighters, volunteers, and everyone else making the positive possible! Love and blessings...XOXO ~S