Thanks, everyone - for the well wishes and thoughts! It means a lot to have support from my little family here.
We've called the insurance company and had a restoration specialist out yesterday. $6-8,000 just for clean up! It's amazing to me how there is ash present ALL over the house even though the fire was contained within the living room area. Crazy. Made me realize just how terrible 9/11 really was with just a teeny glimpse of what happens. (and I do mean TEENY glimpse.)
We have to wait for an insurance adjuster to come out tomorrow or Tues. to see how much of what the insurance co. will pay - and figure in our deductible.
Allen, I'm glad you mentioned thanking H. I did do that yesterday, actually. Thanked him for handling things and remaining calm and in control.
I do feel bad about the fish! It's weird because you don't really see them as "pets" a lot of times, but we had some pretty big ones that have been with us a long time! Plus, we'd just had some babies. H said those dang fish sacrificed their lives to save us from further damage.
You're all right: everything happens for a reason and that things could have been much, much worse! I am grateful even though pretty inconvenienced right now.
As for the R issue - it is natural to think of that first since that's what is so prominant at this time. However, keeping expectations low IS key. Hopefully it will bring us closer or not be a setback. Today seems just more of the same as of late. It would really be nice during such a crisis to feel that partnership again, to have someone to lean on, but I'm taking it as a chance to further realize that maybe someone's trying to teach me that I don't need to lean on another person. Too much of my life has been spent leaning on a boyfriend or spouse and not developing friendships or handling things myself and leaving the rest up to God. I'm learning more and more through this process that it is my biggest Achilles heel and until I work through that, I haven't done the "work" on myself that's necessary in all of this.
H said those dang fish sacrificed their lives to save us from further damage.