The Way I Remember New Orleans

About a week before Katrina rolled into New Orleans, I put this picture up on my desktop. I was having a rough day at work and thought I would remind myself of good times. I had no idea at the time how sentimental this picture would become to me.

January of this year, my friend Allyson was generous enough to foot the majority of the bill for me to come along on a trip with her to Nawlins to watch our beloved Hokies play in the Sugar Bowl. Despite our loss to Auburn, it was one of my favorite trips yet. We spent an evening having way too much fun on Bourbon street...and lucky for me, the more light-hearted atmosphere of Nawlins around game time meant that earning beads simply meant I had to flirt a little. :) (And yes...I think I did prove that blondes have more fun!!! Sorry, Renee!) Once I recovered enough the next morning, I took an adventurous trip to meet the girls in the Garden District...which by the way made most of the homes here look like public housing. That night we geared up for our stay in the Superdome. Of course, for us... the Superdome became the home of more stories...due to issues with our tickets we were all seated apart from each other. Allyson and Renee found seats together in the Auburn section (I think we all know where this is going.). I decided to keep my seat alone upstairs after meeting a very hot guy who had apparently taken a couple of months off from his job as an engineer in Atlanta to travel the country and meet up with his old college buddies. I spent the evening very happily eating hot dogs and nachos with Mr. Atlanta. I yelled and screamed for my Hokies and when the game was over and Mr. Atlanta and I had said our good byes I went out to meet up with the girls. I quickly discovered that they had been sitting outside for the last quarter of the game because Allyson had gotten in a little tiff with a redneck Auburn fan. The next day we headed out and the last thing I thought to myself was: "I've gotta come back here...SOON!"

I have always had a complete fascination with storms. I LOVE thunderstorms, and people close to me know that I enjoy nothing more than watching hurricane coverage since I remember weathering a few of them as a child. So when Katrina made her appearance I went from my normal half hour of TV a week to being clued to the set. I thought this one would come and go like the others with only downed limbs as a reminder of her visit. I was wrong. I admit that I've had to limit my news watching lately since watching the heartache of the people in New Orleans and Miss. leaves me in tears. Now when I see the beads and feathers I brought home from Nawlins hanging over my bedroom door, instead of laughing at all the crazy stuff that happened there, I stop and say a prayer for all the homeless, sick, and broken-hearted. We have yet to hear from my old labmate and his family...he was one of the doctors who stayed behind to run the hospitals.

2 Kings 20:5

"This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you."

New Orleans, I can't wait to come back!