I remember meeting at my parents\' house at 2am the day before Katrina was expected to make landfall. With four vehicles loaded up with necessities and memoirs, we set out to find shelter from the storm. One of my sisters called to invite us to come stay at her in-laws house in Flatonia, Texas. We were grateful for the offer, but figured we would be able to find a place once we reached Texas. After ten hours of driving with me and another sister each five months pregnant, we were losing hope of finding a hotel. We decided to drive another two hours to Flatonia, as my sister reserved us the last two rooms at one of two motels in the area. I could not wait to get out of the car and settle into our temporary home. Upon entering the motel room it was obvious I was far from home. There were two double beds with a nightstand in between, one old desk, a stand for the television, one sink, and a tub and toilet that looked like it hadn\'t been cleaned in months, all masked by the stench of the room. I tried not to be emotional, but then again-I was pregnant. We immediately took a trip to the nearby dollar store to purchase some cleaning supplies and new sheets for the beds. Fortunately, we only had to sleep there for a couple of nights. We spent our days at my sister\'s in-laws house, who had welcomed us with open arms. We were fed home cooked country meals three times a day and could relax as if in the comfort of our own homes. We were all very grateful! Needless to say, those \"couple of nights\" turned into a week, but we were finally able to head home since we all lived in the suburbs of New Orleans. \r\nThe drive home was very long. We were anxious to see the damage that had been done by Katrina. Even though I had lived in the same area my entire life, it was all so unfamiliar as we arrived home that night. There were very few lights on in the neighborhood, but the water on the ground was visible by the light of the moon. We drove slowly as to avoid hitting the branches and debris that were scattered over the road. We arrived back at my parents house and breathed a sigh of relief that there house was totally untouched by the many trees and branches that had fallen around it. All fourteen of us stayed there for the night and awoke early to check our own houses, which were also okay, but without power. We all stayed with my parents for another week until the power was restored to our houses. I knew how blessed I was to have avoided the pain and heartache that so many were experiencing in the aftermath of Katrina. This is merely Katrina as I remember it, as I was only inconvenienced by the storm, not tragically affected. \r\n