It feels like it has been quite a while since I’ve been in your inbox!

The reason is a little thing you may have heard of called Hurricane Irma that was headed straight for Miami. I evacuated with my two girls last week while my husband, a firefighter/paramedic stayed behind to work. I’m glad to report that we are all safe and well.

Evacuating with my babies was one of the scariest things I’ve been through.

I will never forget the morning we left Miami to head to Richmond, VA where my husband’s family lives. A torrential downpour had just started as we were saying goodbye to my husband. Brooke, my three-year-old, was crying hysterically and we were all a nervous wreck as we headed out.

It was pitch black, the streets were already flooded and I had no idea how I would make it to Richmond with a 10-month-old and a three-year-old by myself. Brooke was still crying in the backseat as we approached the highway when I remembered that her favorite soundtrack is the “Sound of Music.”

As we sat at the light before turning onto the highway, I quickly grabbed my phone. I pulled up the “Sound of Music” soundtrack and started playing “Do, Re, Mi” (Brooke’s favorite track – she knows the whole song by heart). As we merged onto the highway into standstill traffic, Julie Andrew’s sweet voice rose above the rain pounding on our windows.

I turned the volume up louder and let it drown out the chaos that was going on outside our windows. After a few seconds I began to hear Brooke’s little voice singing along with the children in the song. My pounding heart slowed and I could feel my body start to relax. As this happened, I was able to focus on the road ahead of me.

This experience reminded how powerful music is. How it can serve as distraction, a focal point, and a mood changer. How it can relax you and calm your mind and body. I am grateful to Julie Andrews for reminding me of this and for helping me get my little ones to safety!