Aftershocks

So tonight has been another night filled with aftershocks of our fire.  About 8:30 PM, our smoke alarms started going off.  Since this is a new home, all the smoke alarms are daisy-chained together, so when one alerts, they all alert.  In addition to the piercing beeping noise, they also announce in their computerized, female voice "Fire, fire, fire".  After listening to this voice multiple times tonight, I now fear that I will somehow have to change the voice on our Garmin so that the girls don't go into a panic when it is in use.

When the alarm started going off, the first thing Emily did was grab her kitty.  She still blames herself for the loss of Tigger in our fire.  Once I was able to reassure her that there wasn't a fire, she let Blink go so that we could go outside.  Although muted, the alarm was still audible.

We sat outside with Lela and Emily both terrified.  Lela started making VERY stupid jokes to relieve the tension (wonder where she gets that?).  Emily could not stop crying.  She told me how she still has nightmares sometimes.  She dreams that she is sleeping in her bedroom in our former home and then the fire will come.  Finally she put her arms around me and said, "Do you know what was the most important thing that didn't burn in our fire?  You mommy."  I just held both my babies in my arms and kissed their heads.  What do you say to something like that other than I love you and I am glad we are all safe?

After awhile, Emily asked me to hold her blankie so she could say a prayer.  She went into the garage and emerged a little while later feeling calmer.  After a few more minutes snuggling on the bench, she said she wanted to go inside.  Luckily, she is now sleeping peacefully for the moment.  Lela isn't yet, so it might be a long night.

Rick has changed the batteries in all the units and has ran a test on them.  We thought it was resolved until about 11 PM when the alarm went off again (that is what woke Lela up, but Emily slept through it).  My first call in the morning will be to the electrician to see if he has any ideas.  As I stated previously, the alarm is audible outside our home, so I hope that it will be silent the rest of the night and if it isn't, our neighbors won't hear it and call the fire department.