On my way to work tonight I noticed alot of the houses along my street were dark. I like to think it's because everyone is tucked tightly into bed arms wrapped around teddy, parents snuggling.
But I suspect it's a much different night sleep than that tonight. I imagine people are camped out on couches and floors, perhaps a hotel, with unfamiliar sheets and walls. Kids wondering about their toys and clothes. Moms and dads laying there wondering... How much damage did the flooding do? Furniture, floors, carpets, wall, fridge, freezer, washing machine all full of dirty stinky river water flowing out of control, careless about what it ruins. Dresser drawers full of mud and muck and what used to be jammie's. How much will is cost? Stressed whispers in the night, worried hands and teary faces. It was a sad drive.
I freaked out on my way home from work that morning when I saw odot closing my road. I whined but I live up there, I have to go through.
Oh, good luck the lady said to me.
A car was stuck, there was water up to the window line. I though it's going to float away soon.
My stomach dropped as I drove up my road and saw the river flowing down my road. My neighbors houses being splashed in my wake. You notice all the small graduations of the road when you can see who was just barely high enough to avoid the water. The neighbor behind me, flat ground separates us, their front yard was flooded creeping back around the side yard, inches from the house and their basement was filling.
I wondered how much water does it take to travel 25 feet over flat ground? The field next to us was flooded, I have no idea of what the topography of the field is. Does it slant towards us? The neighbor across the street from us, their yard backs the creek and it was slowly creeping up. The back corner was flooded already. He staked a flag so we could see how much it was rising.
The rain had stopped thank god, but for how long? I could not stop wondering how much more water would it take? I made Darren call in sick and promised to start the miserable work of filling and laying sand bags. I must admit, I was FREAKING out.
This is our HOME.
This is where we LIVE.
It is not much but it is OURS.
It is all we have.
Not tangible touchable things but HOME.
It's warm and dry. It's where we laugh and play.
It is where my kids go when they need to feel SAFE.
I was not feeling so safe.
I need someplace to put the kids to bed. I need someplace to bring our soon the be baby home to. I could only imagine the cost of repairs...goodbye 18 weeks maternity leave, goodbye savings. It was terrifying really. To know there was very little we could do other than sandbag. I called my mom, she said move furniture. Come sleep at my house. She said she'd pray for the water to stay away.
Darren looked at flood tables to see how high the river could go, based on the last known flooding. So logical about his approach. But I wondered what if the ground wasn't the same? He said the river would have to crest 6 inches higher than they were predicting.
I am supposed to bank on 6 inches.
That's like 10 Oreo's!
That's about the time you start thinking about replacing the short little pencil with a new one.
6 lousy inches?? That's all I've got??????
I have worked all night and am supposed to sleep in the wake, literally, of all this?
He decided not to sandbag. He felt confident that we would be OK. He promised to come home and sandbag away if the rain started again. He promised to call of his friends and brothers to help if needed.
Knowing that I have the most amazing people in my life, that was my solace. My friend who listened to me freak out and agreed I should totally take some benadryl so I would sleep. My friend who said she'd pray for me and send her husband and brothers to help if needed. My friend who would come over and mess up her new hair to help haul and shovel sand.
My friend who had sent home tamales that I warmed up and ate. That finally lulled me to sleep. My mom who interrupted her busy day to pray to Buddha as she says, for the whole day. My friends who though of me when they looked and the news and hoped I didn't flood, those who worried about me and wished the the water away.
It worked.
I slept.
I woke up to a dry house and a river that shrunk back to a creek.
I felt warm and dry and grateful. I feel so much gratitude for everyone.
I have so much more sympathy and heartache for those who have lost there homes or had them flood. The devastation is so complete. It ruins your things and your sense of security all at once. But I suspect it also renews your faith in human kindness. I know just the threat did for me.
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