Wow. I missed this thread originally. When I found Dooty's (actually Doo-da's) mom, I told her if she didn't come up quick to take her baby, she was gonna have a fight on her hands. Between Mozz, Six, Sparky and I, we were gonna have a leg-wrestling match over who got to keep the little girl. LOL! She was a doll baby to say the least. And smart! Smart as a whip. My MIL gave us a little hand carved children's bench, which we donated to Dooda. When we went to visit a few days later, she pulled Mozz across the room by his hand and MADE him sit down and color with her. You can tell she's used to lots of love...she loved to hug and kiss and be loved on. When you held her, if you tried to put her down, she'd latch her little legs around your waist and wouldn't let go. LOL. I miss that little kiddo. But at least she's with her momma and daddy again down in Beaumont, where she belongs.
The other sad story behind this, is Dooda is the third child her momma has had. Her first two daughters (still little) died in a fire in 2002 in New Orleans, the year before Dooda was born. Can you imagine? Having lost two children to a fire and then not know where your baby is at during an evacuation process like this? When I finally talked to the mom, she was in hysterics knowing her baby was okay. It broke my heart.
I actually just spoke to the couple about an hour ago. They're doing okay for now. There was a job fair at their apartment complex and they applied for a couple jobs today. They don't have the baby anymore, so it'll be easier for her to get a job. They're still having a hard time emotionally I think...she was real teary on the phone. FEMA said it will take them 5 - 6 weeks before they get their emergency aid check cut, so they're stressing about lack of funds. The couple is finding that a lot of people don't want to hire evacuees as they have no ID or SS# to do a check on. Sad. I wish I could help more, but this one is a little out of my league and financial pocket. We take groceries when we can, but I can only imagine the depression I'd be in.
Keep them and all the other evacuees in your thoughts. (Marla, Dee, Bryan, Bigboi and thousands of others we don't know.) Even if their immediate needs are covered, there is still a lot of recuperation financially and emotionally, that needs to take place.