We saw a wave of mud move down the Toutle and wipe out a bridge... with the house it was carrying.

Wow! I'd love to see that image.

When Mt.St.Helens went up, I was in daycare in Seattle. We felt the rumble, and an hour or two later we could see the clouds of ash on the horizon, and it was amazing and frightening all at the same time (especially to an impressionable five year old)...but it was nothing like what you must have gone through.

That's an amazing story. Thanks for sharing.