Guest Post

Not all of us are motivated to get "prepared" for the same reason. What motivates one, may not motivate another. I think there is so much we can learn from each other which is why I asked my aunt and friend, Kay, to write a post about her recent preparation experience.

"Let me start out by saying I am a “Worrier.” Some people might think of me as “Paranoid,” but I prefer “cautious.”

Yes, I have had my fair share of sleepless nights. I stay up worrying about things that I shouldn’t. Like, worrying about what I am going to do when my 2 year old gets drafted in a war. When someone like me hears the words, “If you are prepared, ye shall not fear.” One can only imagine what that creates in my mind.

I have probably thought of every disaster in my mind multiple times. What will happen? Where will my family be when it does happen? Will my children be afraid? Will we be cold? Will I be prepared enough to have the means to provide for my family?

But amazingly I hadn’t thought about the disaster that we have been faced with the past two weeks. A pandemic. All the things I have thought about for years, heat, gas, electricity and water, are not even an issue with a pandemic. You will have all of those things. But still you must be prepared.

You must be prepared enough to not feel the urgency to run to the store the second they announce a pandemic. You need to have all the things that everyone wants, already on your shelves. Because as I learned from personal experience, after it is announced, you can drive to every store within a 30 mile radius and they will not have hand sanitizer.

You must stock pile your shelves enough to have everything you need for at least 3 weeks (in my opinion). So after my 24 hour “freak out” about the swine flu, I finally calmed down and decided to make the most of this pandemic. I have been making lists, of all the things that I wish I had stocked up on, when they announced that the Swine Flu was in Utah.

I personally feel that this Swine Flu scare was a test. A test that I failed, and I don’t intend on failing it again. Next time I will be ready. I know I will still feel anxious about my family’s safety and well being, but I will feel confident that we can stay home until the threat is gone.

Every list for each family is different, but I will just share the things that made mine. This is not a complete list, these are just the first things that came to my mind, but take some time to make your own list."

Hand Sanitizer (of course)

Masks

Latex gloves

Duct Tape

Plastic Sheeting

Comet

Dish Washer Detergent

Dish Soap

Laundry Detergent

Bleach

Disinfecting Wipes

Bars of Soap

Shampoo

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Medicine

Chicken (using 1 bag, have 2 more stocked up)

Chicken Nuggets (for my kids)

Peanut Butter

Fruit Snacks

Saltines

Graham Crackers

Cereal (Lots and lots)

Granola Bars

Canned Chicken/Tuna

Cases of Bottled Water

Trash Bags

Ziploc Bags

Milk (currently have 12 gallons)

Butter/Margarine

Bread and bread making ingredients

Vitamins