Sharing my stories about challenging times helps me

I went through a very difficult time in my life that started shortly before Hurricane Rita. The Christmas before Rita hit, I had to have an emergency hysterectomy. Katie was hospitalized with pneumonia the day I was released (which was the day before Christmas Eve). My story, A Christmas Basket, published in Christmas Miracles, tells about that unfortunate incident and how good came from it.

In June that same year, Pete and the kids were involved in a horrendous car accident because a teenager was not paying attention. He was going full speed ahead while fidgeting with the radio when he ran into my precious family and changed our lives forever. Thankfully my children were okay, but pulling shards of glass out of a two-year-old's hair is not fun. The one who suffered was Pete. He had ruptured discs in his neck and eventually had to undergo surgery. Even so, he is not the same active man he once was. That has spurred quite a bit of poetry and unsent letters.

Also that summer my father was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. The BIG "C" WORD always brings a lot of anxiety and apprehension. My mother had breast cancer years before so we knew it would not be easy. Luckily my dad is fine now, but he did have a second run in with it several years after his first treatment. I am proud to say both of my parents are cancer survivors. That's a story in and of itself.

Then Hurricane Rita came along and we were forced to evacuate. Eight hours in the car, Houdini acts, diaper stints and three restless kids under the age of six are enough to make anyone crazy. When Ike came several years later, we stayed for the storm. Big mistake! The article (next paragraph) I have written tells about what I went through during those two hurricanes. For me, the chaos occurred before the storms hit. After Rita, we were in Dallas having a grand old time with family. We evacuated to a friend's home two days after Ike and also had a lot of fun. The kids think hurricane means vacation. Not!

My article, The Calm After the Storm: How to Survive a Hurricane, is highlighted on MyDaily.com. I have author Gina Misiroglu and the editors from Red Room to thank for this accomplishment. When I joined Red Room several months ago, I never dreamed they would be so helpful and personable. Gina helped me get my article from page to publication in less than a week. If you are a writer, I highly recommend you join Red Room.

Many other things happened between the two hurricanes, much of which I attribute to the mere fact of raising kids. And of course, there's Mary. She died shortly before Ike hit. I have written these stories down and hope to share all of them some day. I never knew something so rewarding could come out of life's struggles. That's what "sharing" is all about; it cleans us out.

Summer Rains

Here is a picture taken after hurricane Ike.

This has been an unusually dry summer. In fact, we are in a drought and the grass is beginning to die. Let's all pray for rain. Here is a poem I wrote reflecting upon my childhood summers:

Summer Rains~ by Laurie Kolp

Memories of my childhood summers

fill me with warmth and happiness

as I recall the great times;

swimming like a fish,

sleeping like a bear,

sunning like a goddess,

having fun at the beach,

weekly trips to the library.

Perhaps the most disappointing

summer memory I have as a child

is the hot afternoon rains that would

invariably come at inopportune times

causing me to miss scheduled

tennis lessons I couldn't wait for,

swimming lessons I loved,

and birthday parties in the park.

The rains would come down

predictably each day

causing anxiety and disappointment,

but then, just as quickly as they came,

the rains would go away.

Beach Fun

The Kolp family has had a great Spring Break. Pete took the week off, too, and we did a lot of fun things. We went to the beach for the day Thursday, and were we surprised! Hurricane Ike really did a number on the Bolivar Peninsula. Many things were so different, yet some were still the same. First, driving onto the peninsula, we were shocked to see the beach right by the highway. We knew that the houses were gone and had heard of the ruination, but to confront the devastation with our eyes was a sight to behold. Everything was gone. We did not drive down very far, but where we stopped to have some fun, we had to park on the highway. The high tide line was only forty feet away! Second, the beach was inundated with sand dollars. Can you believe we found twenty-five? Only a few of them were barely broken- most of them were whole. Does anyone know what to do with twenty-five sand dollars? I know there must be some cute craft we could make. Finally, we did see some Portugese man-of-war, but luckily they stayed away from our crazy kids who just could not stay out of the freezing water. We had a picnic in the van and then drove home. What a great day at the beach we had.



Cookies, I mean sand dollars anyone?


This is a picture of a Portugese man-of-war we saw on the beach. We found one more washed up and the kids saw two in the water. Did you know that if you ever get stung by one at the beach all you have to do is cover the sting with sand and urinate on the spot! There is something in human urine that draws out the sting. Thanks to my former marine husband, I learned this new tip (hopefully we will never have to use it).

We also visited my nephew in College Station, but I will blog about that great time next...

The Legend of the Sand Dollar

There’s a lovely little legend

That I would like to tell,

Of the birth and death of Jesus

Found in this lowly shell.

If you examine closely

You’ll see that you find here,

Four nail holes and a fifth one

Made by a Roman’s spear.

On one side the Easter Lily,

Its center is the star,

That appeared unto the shepherds

And led them from afar.

The Christmas Poinsettia

Etched on the other side,

Reminds us of

His birthday

Our happy Christmastide.

Now break the center open

And here you will release,

The five white doves awaiting

To spread Good Will and Peace.

This simple little symbol

Christ left for you and me,

To help us spread

His Gospel

Through all Eternity.

-Author Unknown