As some of you know we were hit EXTREMELY hard with an ice storm this past December. We were without power for about 5 days, some friends and co-workers were without even longer. I had to take the boys and go to my parents where there was power and HEAT while Andrew said at the house cause he had to work. The temperature INSIDE out house got down in the 30's!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many people suffered even greater hardships than just no electricity and cold temperatures. Falling limbs from the weight of the ice damaged homes and cars. Fires sparked from transformers blowing and people using candles or other means to try and keep warm. People lost all the food in their freezers and refridgerators and had horrendous heat bills from heating their houses back up!!!!!!! It was very costly to many.

Andrew and I went to Maui on our honeymoon. It was the trip of a lifetime. When we got back we bought a Hibiscus tree from Lowes to remind us of Maui. It is a real hibiscus - not a hearty one - it must be brought inside when the temperature gets too cold usually from October to April or May and it goes dormant. During the time of the storm it was not really on my mind but this spring when it was time for it to start blooming it wasn't! I was afraid we had lost it from the temperatures being soooooooo low in the house. But then - some GREEN! It was finally starting to leaf again and then eventually a bud!!!!!!!!! Which then bloomed! They are not the HUGE blooms like before but to think we almost lost it but it pulled through it survived! Just like us and our friends and family - we all survived we all made it through that storm and together we can make it through any storm - real or otherwise! Today my Hibiscus tree has FIVE blooms on it! So I wanted to share some pictures of it! I just love it! So does Andrew! I love how the second picture has the American flag in the background! I am pretty patriotic and it just goes along with everything I have said about making it through storms. Thanks for looking today and hope you don't mind my sappyness!!!!!!!