A chance meeting.

Eighteen months ago I was driving home from my moms house with the kids. It was nighttime and I could smell a fire. It wasnt like a typical bonfire, it smelled horrible. I looked around to see if I could see where it was coming from. It was coming from a side road and it looked like nobody else was around. I drove down the little street and noticed I was the first one to see the fire coming from a bedroom window in a house. I started to get nervous knowing I was the first to see it. I called 911 and pulled into the driveway honking my horn. I could see a small light on in the kitchen and the car was in the driveway. There was a dog wandering around the yard and I couldnt see anyone moving inside. I watched the fire come down the stairway from the upstairs area and into the living room/kitchen. It was so scary because I thought someone was home. My honking got the neighbors attention and he ran over yelling the guys name. It really looked like they were home and I was so worried they were overcome with smoke and were not conscious.

My kids were watching the entire thing but I could not leave - the fire department still was not there. I had been at a photo shoot earlier that evening and I got my camera out and started to photograph what I was seeing. I wasnt sure if taking pics was the right thing to do, I wanted to have documentation to offer the family of how quickly the fire spread - not to have photos for my portfolio. I pulled back across the street and we all stayed in the car. Another neighbor came out to tell us that she thought they were out for dinner. We all just waited to see what would happen next. They are in an area that is outside of two towns so it took some time for a fire dept to respond. The house was a total loss. I called Jean and he came to get the three youngest and Branden asked to stay with me. He was just as concerned about the family as I was. Finally we got the word that the family was at the end of the road, they had infact been out for dinner. It was a young family with a 2 y/o daughter.

A week or so after the fire, I sent a letter to the address of the home explaining I had photographs if they wanted them and they could contact me via email or phone. She did email me, I dropped the photos off (they were not home) and we had a few conversations through email about what happened. She was so thankful for my photos.

This past Sunday, at the princess birthday party, I was making conversation with a woman who asked me if I was from Kennebunk and had "lots of kids" :) I said...well I have four. She was the woman whose house was burning. It was so nice to meet her in person and she thanked me again for calling in the fire to 911 and taking the photos. They just sold the rebuilt house and are moving away to North Carolina. I just think its so odd when things like that happen.

I was watching the news last week and they showed how soundly children sleep and one family tested their kids response to the fire alarm. One of them woke up, pulled the blankets over her head and went back to sleep, one never woke at all and one did wake up and went looking for his parents. I told Jean we really need to practice an escape route...and I'd be interested to see if my kids wake for the alarm too!

Gosh, Im chatty today!!! (sorry)

~Kel