The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is on Fire!

If the hospital wasn't enough drama, we got a little more today when were woke up to the fire alarm going off. No, not just someone's smoke detector beeping, this was the full on building fire alarm.

At first I wasn't sure it was real, but when I saw the police and fire engines arriving outside, it got some clothes on, gathered Lyla, my bag, the portable oxygen tank, and my mobile electronics and headed for the stairs. A police officer met us in the hall and told us there really was a fire and we had to evacuate.

We stood out in front of the building for a while and watched the three fire teams hook up their hoses and head into the building with water tanks. Lyla thought it was great and said, "This is the best day ever!" Shortly after, we were able to go inside at the school district office across the street. After getting the basic story from the police -- there was a kitchen/electrical fire in a unit on the second floor -- and signing our name, unit and phone number on a roster, Lyla and I started walking toward Faye's and David came to pick us up. Best daycare ever (as if we didn't already know that)!

I had breakfast with the kiddos and David drove me home. I was able to get inside the apartment with a firefighter escort and grab some clothes for Lyla and her other oxygen supplies. I wish I would have grabbed a sweatshirt. I was freezing all day. Then I hung out at the base camp and worked the rest of the day. We got updates from the fire chief every so often, everyone had to register with the Red Cross staff, and we got pizza lunch.

I went to Faye's later in the day for a break from the chaos, then Lyla and I stopped back around 330 to check progress. At that point, the service master crews were still cleaning and we had to wait for the sprinkler system to be fixed and the building deemed safe before we could go back. Thankfully, the third floor was allowed back into the building. We just had to wait for the all clear.

Bored and with a continually extending deadline, Lyla and I headed to Target. We bummed around the clearance section with a hot chocolate from Starbucks and when we finished, we ran into Faye, David and the boys in the parking lot. By the time we got home around 730 we were finally able to get back into the building. The elevator was even working so I could put Lyla and all our stuff into the stroller and come upstairs.

So now we're home. Thankfully there was no damage to our apartment. It smells faintly of smoke, but nothing too obvious. Or storage unit didn't fare so well. It is on the first floor and right under the affected unit, so there is significant water damage. I'm anxious to get down there and see things for myself, but for now it's just good to be in the apt in my warm sweats, slippers and robe.

Pics: a few I took last night when Lyla was rocking her self chosen outfit, the fire trucks in front and blocking the street (note neighbors in bathrobes), Lyla enjoying some pizza compliments of the Red Cross.