It exploded into a fiery inferno

After arriving home from Church last night, after a very very good service, and birthday party, we were all tired and ready to go to bed, after all, it was already 11pm.

The littles all went to bed without a fuss, I think they were already half-sleep anyways. The older dispersed to their rooms, and Mom and Dad got ready for bed.

Mom and Lydia both felt and heard a loud bang, both assumed that somebody was either doing some very late night hunting, or, since it was race weekend, and we only live 15-20 minutes away from the track, that they had set off a large set of fireworks. Dad and I didn't hear anything, he was brushing his teeth, and I was probably doing the same.

I had thought about staying up to read a few chapters, but one glance at the clock told me that it was too late to be doing that if I wanted to have a good day tomorrow. So, I turned off the lamp, took off my glasses, and rolled over away from the window. A couple minutes later, I felt the urge to sit up and roll onto my other side. That's when I saw something weird behind out barn, and slightly to the right.

I threw off my comforter, and stood up so I could see out the window better. I saw a glow, and what I thought was smoke. I practically ran down the hall to Lydia's room, and knocked on her door softly, because everyone else's lights were already off. After hearing her quiet "come in," I all but burst through her door, rushed to her window, yanked up the shade, and peered out. Jokingly, she asked if there was a fire or something. My response had her jumping out of bed and looking out the other window.

I asked her if we should tell Mom and Dad. Two seconds later, we were flying down the stairs as quietly as possible. Because of the way their room was situated, we couldn't really see behind our barn, so Mom stepped outside, confirmed that there was smoke in the air, and told Lydia and me to tell Nana and Grandfather. We raced next door, pounded on their door until they opened it, told them the news, and went around to their back porch, where we could see better.

The bang was our neighbor's barn exploding. He had been burning trash earlier that day, but, as far as we can guess, didn't stay down long enough to make sure the fire was completely out. The fire must have smoldered a good long while, before traveling to his barn, and his fuel tanks. Because he collects tractors, he had to have fuel for them and naturally, he kept it in, or near, the barn with some of his goats and hay. Some of the goats didn't make it. And they were his wife's "babies," she loved them so much. From what I gather, his tractors are ruined as well.

Mom called 911, and they confirmed that they had already been called, and that they were on their way, they were just having trouble gaining access (it was by a gravel road, but way down a hill, the trucks wouldn't be able to go down the neighbor's driveway to get down there. There was already a maintenance road down there, because there was a  gas well not 200 yards from the barn, but that was all twisty-turny, and I have no idea how they got there, but eventually they made it).

By this time, Grandfather had gotten dressed, and was walking down to see if there was anything he could do.

God's fingerprints:

It had rained recently, all the trees were too wet to burn, so the fire didn't spread

It was not windy, not even a breeze.

The neighbors had been awake (they usually go to bed super early).

Even though there was a gas well nearby, the fire didn't spread to it (it probably would have lighted up everything down the hill, so much for hunting season).