In the summer of 2002 my family moved to south Texas. My husband was working across the border in Mexico everyday. Our daughter was about to turn 3, and I was very pregnant with our first son. The news was full of reports of potential dirty bomb attacks and I was anxious and unsettled (and looking back, probably very hormonal), and I felt constant uneasiness. I remembered the scripture in Doctrine & Covenants 38:30 that reads, “but if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” I took it to heart and realized that in order to quell my fear I needed to do something, to actively engage in a project. That’s when I built my first 72 hr kit. It was bulky and did require a Little Tikes wagon to transport, but hey, it was a start.
Since then my preparedness efforts have waxed and waned depending on our situation. Small living spaces and a student budget weren’t particularly conducive to food storage when we were living in Boston for graduate school. But then the time came when we decided to move back to California – the state where we had been living on Sept 11, 2001.
At that time we had been in process of moving out of California to Pennsylvania. My husband was already working in Pennsylvania and was scheduled to fly home the evening of Sept 11th. Of course he didn’t make it back to California that night. The movers were coming the very next day to pack up our house and ship out our cars. Our daughter was 2 years old and had no comprehension of the events of the day, but wanted to watch the footage over and over again – she found it exciting, like it was a fireworks display. I, however, was almost in a panic, trying to reconcile just how much our world had changed that morning and how my sense of peace and security were completely wiped out, all while trying to figure out how I was going to accomplish my husband’s extensive honey-do list before the movers came. Thankfully there was a young couple in our ward (church congregation) - the husband had been sent home from his job in one of the downtown L.A. towers, and the wife was my daughter’s nursery leader. Thanks to them, we didn’t have to spend that awful day alone, AND we were fully ready when the movers came the next morning.
The idea of moving back to California unleashed many of the feelings I had tried to bury after that experience - feelings of helplessness and isolation - and so once settled back in the Golden State I jumped into emergency preparedness and food storage as a way to reduce the possibility of having to feel that way again.
We’ve been back here almost 6 years now. We’ve got a couple more kids, a year+ supply of food, 2+ months of water, and paper goods and personal supplies galore. Our yard is full of fruit trees and I’ve got a healthy little garden. We’re also focusing on preparing our bodies to withstand the physical and psychological struggles a disaster would bring. While I’m still nervous that there’s so much to do, and so little time in which to do it all, I’m confident that my efforts to prepare myself and my family will never go to waste.
C.M. CA
How to VOTE for the best Preppers Outreach Contest Entries:
If you think this entry merits one of your 5 allotted votes, then post a comment below. Do NOT post a comment if you do not want it to count towards one of your 5 allotted votes. If you want to award an entry more than one vote, you’ll need to leave a comment for each vote you want to cast.
© 2019 Of COURSE this post is Copyright Protected by Preparedness Pro. All Rights Reserved. NO portion of this article may be reposted, printed, copied, disbursed, etc. without first receiving written permission by the author. This content may be printed for personal use only. (Then again, laws are only as good as the people who keep them.) Preparedness Pro will pursue all violations of these rights just as vigorously as she does any of her other freedoms, liberties, and protections.
Comments
Here, here!
Knowing your family, this is no surprise.
I wish I would have read this 2 years ago! Where were you then?
It's nice to catch an opinion that's optimistic about this stuff. can you do the same for the political scene in general today?
Thanks for posting this Cecily! Bryan out.
Vote 1
Good advice!
Prepare yourself.
Get around to it.
That was a great article, thanks for writing it.
Inspiring, this has seriously made me reconsider how truly prepared I am.
Would you mind leaving your address, just in case of an emergency... I need to know where to go ;)
Bomb shelter, putting it on my list for Christmas.
Thank you so much for sharing this story with us.
Thanks for sharing this.
Great reminder that we need to work on this.
Hoping we never had to experience a huge emergency, but I need to really work on being prepared... just in case.
You are amazing. Thanks.
Thanks again. An inspiration.
Woohoo
Really liked your personal viewpoint.
Interesting to see how your preparedness changed from a sense of panic and fear to an essential part of everyday life...
Uh-huh
So seriously, how heavy is that 72 hour kit now? Did you just add wheels or is it really portable??
So I just read this over a shoulder and thought, "Good for her!". Had to comment when I enjoyed it so much.
yep, still votin' for ya
Um...favorite part??? The fruit trees that illustrate how basic and natural preparedness is.
Listen, liked it, voting, so win already!!
So my sis recommended I read this and decide how I want to vote....
Definatly for YOU...Whomever you are.
Uhhh...can I vote on an account already used even though I'm not the same person?? I liked it also:)
Voting again
encore!!
Liked the reference to the reality of preparedness ability changes throughout life and demographics as well as wealth...
vote #4
Like
Great read, Cecily!
I need to get a list or some tips from you...
Great advice.
How much $ has it taken to get to where you're at today?
Awesome article!
Wake-up call for me!
Thanks for being a great example. We have a lot of work to do!
Great work Cecily!
I'll be in touch to get some major help on our preparedness situation :)
Zach and I will be driving to California if there is a disaster any time soon :)
Thanks for the votes of confidence. I'm always happy to give my opinions when it comes to preparing (among numerous other things:)
Thank you for the inspiration!!! I have decided I have quite a bit to do and learn about preparedness.
You have also inspired me to get my daughter's emergency kit/ essentials ready as she plans to go off to college soon!!! Thank you!!!!
Vote 1
I loved the info!
We all need a heads up on this subject!
good luck!
Amy better get her butt in gear and start preparing!
All the more reason why I'm not moving out of the neighborhood - prepare to be looted by the Mittons should anything go seriously wrong
Thanks for the rude dose of reality
I guess I can add this to my never-ending list of To Do's
Good luck to you - you take dedication to a whole new level
Very Inspiring ... just might motivate me to DO something!
I love your touching story!
I can really relate to the feeling of uneasiness/stress, and then the peace that comes when I take steps to be prepared!
Thanks for a great read!!
Oh, and by the way, can I come over in the event of an emergency???
This is great motivation to get me going on food storage! Thanks!
Awesome start on being prepared!
I would like to bestow on you my 5th and final allotted vote! Merry Christmas! Now I'm gonna go start soaking some seeds to sprout :-)
Very inspiring!
You are like the "Super Food Storage Mama of the Year!"
So true!
Ugh, the bunnies are back in the backyard - guess my emergency food can be shooting them!
You know I believe that Twinkies should be on the required list since they have a shelf life of 1093409825098 years.
Good luck to you
Good reminders, I need to remember to update my cash stockade.
Thank you!!
Tell Jack that the engagement is back on if I can head over in an emergency!
I suppose a zip line between our homes doesn't count as part of planning an escape route, huh?
good luck!
the real question is how much Diet Coke to stock for emergencies - there just doesn't seem to be an appropriate answer
I need a generator
I'll come protect you with the arsenal of Nerf guns we now have!
How do you think the kids would respond if my water supply was instead Diet Coke?
Saw a bunny today in the backyard, my mom will knock it off and toss it in the freezer and we can practice some Rabbit Stew recipes........just in case.
How 'bout tubs of red licorice.....does that count?
kinda looking forward to losing power - then I can't feel guilty when I have to eat all the ice cream in the house
If I serendade you with Justin Beiber will you feed me?
Go get 'em!
We're behind you! You make the rest of us look lazy......quite possibly because we ARE lazy.......nah, that can't be it........no, that's it.
Maybe next time you put in an order I should consider adding onto it
You should seriously consider starting a consultation biz
Food storage and working at being prepared can be fun. You have to go into it with a good attitude and with knowing you can't do everything all at once. I just got my SunOven last week and can't wait to use it. We always sampled items on our kids. After all, if the family doesn't like the food, you've got a problem.
In all our years of preparing, we always try and keep in mind that we have family, neighbors and friends that may need some help during very difficult times. With two homes on our street that have burned down, we've been able to give service, support, along with Christ like love.
Vote #1!
Vote #2!
Vote #3!
Vote #4!
Vote #5!
Great article Cecily!
Awesome!
Wish we lived closer. We'd just pack up our bags and move into your house during an emergency :)
Vote #4
Good job. Great information!
Wow, very inspiring- I feel like making a 72 hr. kit right now!
I really wish we lived next to a dr. pepper and weapons store during the apocalypse! In case you are the only person in the world that dosen't know this, I LOVE dr. pepper
How many gallons of water does about 500 crates of dr. pepper equal, cause im rotating my water storage... JK!
Great Article! You can write an essay way better than I can!
EXTREMELY WELL WRITTEN A ND EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE!!!!!!!!
I love how you write!
Vote #5
Since this is my last vote id like to say something.............
Can I use you solar oven if you win it?
Loved this article:D
Vote #2
Vote #3
Vote #4
Vote #5
Definitely Porter!
Vote!! (Cracking up at the Mitton "family") :)
Voting again!
and again!
last one!
Always love your info Cecily.
This is great.
Always helpful,
Love it.
Learned so much from you.
You make me tired with everything you do.
Way to go!
Fruit trees too!
You are certainly showing the way for others!
I like your focus to prepare!
Where do you get your energy?
Nice I like it !!!
well done ! I learned a ot
great
I love your ideas
this is a good help
good job !
Thanks ! I love it
super !
love your work
good help
just love it
As a New Yorker, this hits home so much!
I love that fruit trees are another way you prepare and feel safe.
Excellent
Very interesting...I worry sometimes b/c I dont have ANY food storage...I'm so not prepared...
Great essay!
I'm giving all my votes...
relate-able!
Awesome
Very Insightful
Thank you for the great info!
Great!
Inspiring!
Really good!
love it!!