catching up

On May 2nd, 2010, the "creek" down the hill in our front yard showed itself to be the Harpeth River and came in our front door for a visit. My youngest daughter Addie and I sat helplessly on the couch with no electricty as water rose to our ankles. Through God's will, alone, my oldest daughter, Ashton was spending the night with a friend whose father insisted on coming to get us. (Our car was already under water up to the tires.) We had already dutifully unplugged all of the appliances and televisions, placing the cords up high, gathered clothing and things off of the ground, placing it on the beds. Surely, this would save our things! When our hero arrived to pick us up, he called and told us we would have to walk out to the main street. His car could not safely come down to our home.

I had spent the rainy day of May 1st lecturing my children on how they should NEVER drive or walk through rushing water when they could not see the bottom. Now, I was insisting to my dumbfounded 14 year-old that she walk through the thigh-high water. There was no choice. She tearfully gripped my arm with one hand and a tote bag with some important things in her other hand. I thought to get my contact supplies, glasses, toothbrush. and insulin supplies. Toothbrush, you may ask? In my hurry to prepare my house, I had not brushed my teeth that morning, and I certainly did not want to offend anyone with my dragon breath! We made it out of the water ant to his car with only a brief stumble. He then went back to help another lady get her mom out. On the drive to his home, we had to drive through some standing water on the road, which brought on extra tears from Addie, as well as some pleading for him to go another way. I guess I'm pretty good at scaring the crap out of my kids with my lectures!

We were reunited with Ashton at her friend Ashley's dad's house.(Scott) His girlfriend greeted us with hugs, towels, and dry clothes. Such kindness from someone I'd never met before. The girls all watched movies throughout the day, while I assured family members that we were safe. Scott took Susie, his girlfriend, back to her flooding neighborhood to get her dog, and he promised to check on my house. When they returned, hours later (many detours due to flooded roads), they had Susie's dog, but not great news for me. Scott took me aside and told me that it was "pretty bad." They were evacuating our neighborhood with school buses and boats. Still, denial is a strong emotion, and I wasn't panicked, just grateful.
Next, our hero took us to Target for a couple of changes of clothes, p.j.'s and underwear. Also, I had left two prescriptions at home which we had re-filled. When we returned home, we ate dinner, then let the girls watch more movies (Susie's 14 year-old daughter Laura was also there) while the adults watched the news coverage. We were all (the grown-ups) feeling a little less pain and anxiety thanks to some well-timed drinks for Scott and Susie, and a Xanax for me. I watched as my entire neighborhood was shown on the news with water all the way to the top of the car-ports. Our neighborhood movie theater and soccer fields were all under water. Still, denial was holding me together. We'd go back to wet floors, but we could most surely clean that up, right?
Finally, two days later, we prepared to go back and see what had happened after the waters went down. Scott, thank heavens, had a plan. We would go in and try to save what we could. Clothes could be put in garbage bags, rinsed, and washed. My parents were at the house when we got there, and I really do not think I have ever seen them look so helpless. I entered my home to see a water line on the wall at about 5 1/2 feet. EVERTHING had been underwater. Shoes had floated from my closet to the living room. The refridgerator was on it's back as well as huge pieces of furniture. Paralyzed, I was grateful for Scott's leadership. He instructed Ashley and Laura to help Ashton and Addie get what they thought they wanted to save, and my parents helped me do the same. We all donned rubber gloves and got to work, but really, who could think straight at that point? The truth was, we had lost it all. The home I had finally bought on my own, The home that we were so proud of. The home where we volunteered to host youth parties while others ran from such a thought! Our decorating, our collected furniture, our MEMORIES, our pride and joy, gone! All gone!
We got what we could, Addie tearfully trying to save everything, Ashton picking up random pieces of clothing and letters from fellow church members that she had received at camp the year before. Scott's washer worked overtime for 48 hours, and he took 4 pieces of heirloom furniture to his warehouse. We still do not know if these things can be saved. In my wildest imaginings, I had never expected this to happen to us. A painful, drawn-out divorce, custody battles still brewing, an unexpected surgery, hospitalization, and diabetes diagnosis had all been hanging over us lately. Surely, we had not just lost everything we owned, including our beloved new to us, gently used car! How could this be? Do you hit rock bottom, only to be dragged across it for many more miles?
We settled in at mom and dad's the next day, and Scott sent his insulation workers in to tear out wet dry-wall and insulation for us. (Again our hero) The girls immediately returened to school where they were given new uniforms, computers, and textbooks. The school community rallied around us, buying shoes for the girls, sending meals well into the summer. One of Addie's classmates invited her to go shopping for a graduation dress (I had totally forgotten, seemed like all I could do was wander around aimlessly with my hand on my head), even paying for the dress and sweater she wore over it. Donations began coming in, friends helped sort out things we had saved and transport them from Scott's to Mom and Dad's.
Next came the inevitable clean-up. My wonderful cousin Jeff agreed to com in the Saturday after the flood with his son and some of his son's friends to help clean the drywall, insulation, furniture, and everything else we had lost out of the house. That same day, I received numerous phone calls from West Minister Pres. church, and they sent volunteers, as well. Two of them had taught my children in elementary school. With that help, and the help my brother-in-law , James, we got the debris out of the house and into a pile outside of the house. There it stayed for weeks. I would go by to check the mail, and have to look at our beds piled up outside the house. I finally decided that I could not look at this any more, and my mother agreed to check my mail.
We were quick to receive FEMA money, but it will not be enough to cover the re-build, much less the furnishings. They finally hauled away the debris, and we have a contractor at work. Neighborhood Association meetings have become a nightmare. We are SLOWLY moving forward, each breaking down from time to time. Addie will not return to look at the house. Hopefully, she will go back when we are finished rebuilding. More to come on how we are functioning together with three generations under one roof!