Firestorm

This is a picture of Gainesville from yesterday. There's an 18,000+ acre fire north of us near Waldo (think flea market, those of you who've gone with us), and though G'ville is protected from the actual flames reaching us (by lakes and swamp), we are NOT protected from the smoke. Strong winds have carried smoke from this fire (the "Starke" fire) and from fires in southern Georgia into our area. We've had to cancel outside recess, and yesterday morning we had to let our students into our classrooms early. It's so thick! We accidentally left our bedroom windows cracked on Monday night, and we woke up in the middle of the night smelling the smoke. By the end of the day yesterday, even my hair reeked of smoke. You just get so TIRED of breathing it! Also on my way home after work, there started to be ashes drifting through the air and settling on everything. It was a pretty creepy evening.

We are thankful our city is not in danger, but also prayerful for those whose homes are in the path of the fires. We also need rain!!

Hope your airs easier to breathe than ours... although it definitely makes me thankful for clean air in general! :)