Troubles come in threes

I got a phone call from my brother Phillip today with some amazing news. Mom and Dad's house was sold to Phillip's oldest child, Stephanie, and her husband, John, recently with them moving in some time after that. I believe Phillip said Stephanie and John were out of town last Sunday when Phillip's youngest child, Echo, decided to roast some marshmallows in Dad's old garage. You guess it. The garage burned completely up and about half of the house. Resulting in a total loss of both.

Echo is 6 I think. Around that I believe. The best part in all this, and the most important thing, is that Echo was not hurt, or anyone else. I don't know about the huge bullfrogs that used to hang out in the garage. Sorry, daddy-cow frogs to those of you who know that story. There might have been some succulent frog legs in the embers if they had thought to look.

I am very sorry about the personal things that Stephanie and John lost. And sorry, too, that they lost their home. But we are so blessed to have Echo still with us, and in a family that will help her get over the trauma of what happened. Hang in there, Echo. You get the urge to light fires from a long line of fire buffs.

I don't know, maybe Echo was sending a smoke signal to her uncle Frank hoping he'd understand. I don't mean to belittle the situation or make fun of it, but things can be replaced.

I just now found out that Kristina's youngest boy (Yvonne's grandson), Xavier, fell tonight and split his head open to the point of needing a fair number of stiches at the ER. And Kristrina self launched into close earth orbit. You might see her go by if you look to the west tonight.

Amazing run of events on and around Yvonne's birthday. I hope she finds the peace and comfort of Jesus surrounding her. And I trust that Echo will not carry lasting images of the fire in her mind to haunt her.

Thursday is Frank's funeral. I will not be able to attend it. I hope Yvonne won't think I am the worse brother that ever lived. I'd be there if I could.