Hurry up and go to sleep, Baby.

I have things to do today.

Important things.

Went to Faith and Friendship at church this morning. Had the discussion, with a couple of "a-ha" moments, a few laughs and a couple tears. During Circle Round, though, one of the women started talking about her Sunday trip to McDonald's. She and her family go to McD's for breakfast after church. Mom and Dad read the paper and the kids play at the play place. A man asked her husband directions to Minnesota. It's really not that hard - I-35 North. It bugged her though. She started talking to him. And can she talk. Turns out he's a survivor from Katrina. He and his four year old daughter. They've been living in their car, driving North in hopes of finding their family. He thinks some of them went to Minnesota.

In this day in age, how can you not know where your family is? Well. No cell phones and not much internet usage, that's how. Families scattered. I know that if I can't get my husband on his phone, I can e-mail him. Same for my Mom, Dad, and sister. She offered him a phone card. He declined, saying he didn't have anyone to call.

She talked to him more. He's from Mississippi, but had gone to New Orleans to take care of his dying mother. She passed a week before the hurricane. He'd left his drug addicted wife in Mississippi and took their daughter. The storm came and they went to Texas. Heard some of his family was in Minnesota and he started heading North. Looking for places to stay, sleeping in the car.

Ran into my friend at McDonalds. She and her family took them home. Washed their clothes. He slept for five hours while the kids played. As much as she wanted to take them it, this day in age, it's just too hard. Even with all the identification he had - FEMA stuff, Red Cross stuff, a driver's license with an address that no longer exists - it was just more than she could do. While he slept, she found a shelter for them. A good one, one for families. He sounds like he's just needing a place to stay. To get his bearings. Maybe even settle down here. "People are nice here," he told her.

Instead, she's looking for clothes for them. The girl doesn't have shoes. So Baby, you need to go sleep so I can look for 4T clothes and size 10 or 11 shoes. While you nap, I'll go through Daddy's stuff and see if anything will fit him, too.