I don't think we often pause to consider how much our home means to us. I am talking about the actual house that we have made into our home, decorated the way we like, filled with things we don't always need, but which we often love having, and filled with all the memories of our lives.This is the case, with me at least. More often than not, I am thinking about things that would improve the house, like renovating the kitchen and bathrooms, or recarpeting the bedroom. Then you see the pictures of devastation from a hurricane like Ike and you realize how lucky you are. All the things are gone in an instant, and although it is true that the most important thing is that everyone makes it out alive, the fact is that you have lost one of the single most important things in your life, the sanctuary that you call home.