A Little Wet Behind the Years....

I am feeling just a little bit wet behind the ears, or should I say "years".

Two weeks ago another terrible storm went through our town and while we weathered it with electricity this time, our sump pumps failed to keep up with the 8.5 inches of rain that fell in less than two hours.

We woke up to two sump pumps gurgling under 9 inches of water in our family room and work rooms as 28 years of "STUFF" had already begun to absorb what we had not.

It is all "STUFF - just STUFF" .

I kept telling myself this as the bulging swirling stained waterlogged walls and curling of peeling wallpaper took on a new dimension of home decor.

I can't begin to tell you how quickly we found ourselves moving whatever we could up the stairs, off the floor, and onto counters as our carpets floated effortlessly above the crystal clear rain water as we held back our tears. We have never had a flood in our home these past 28 years.

We saved the new son-in-law's 20 year old comic book collection (25 large boxes), 2 slightly wet red leather chairs, tables, a sofa, lamps, and most of the trains (60 years of model railroad stuff), and all of my stamping "stuff". Most everything that was wet, has dried out fairly well with just a few wrinkles as reminders of how much we have to be thankful for.

The under currant of our family bonds became stronger as we lost books, cabinets, carpets, tiles off the floor, furniture and energy as we struggled to remove the calf high water we were wading through to save what we could.

What we lost was just "Stuff". What we gained - "A stronger family unit".

Our Children, Matt and his wife, Abra, along with Kris and her new husband, John, worked with their Dad and I for 13 hours hauling, vaccuuming, drying, and bundling up stuff to take to the curbside for garbage pick-up. No one complained.

We just held on hour after hour as we realized that it was just that, "STUFF". We still have our "MEMORIES". We still have our "HEALTH". We still have our "HOME". We still have "US".

For those of you, your families and your friends who have ever experienced great losses through fire, weather, abuse, violence or economic hardship, my heart and prayers go out to you tenfold.
This was hard enough - I can't imagine losing my home, much less my family.

As I look at damaged walls, the left over "STUFF" in disarray, I will try to remember this day, and make sure that my heart is always in the right place and my priorities oraganized accordingly - God, Husband, Kids, Puppies, Friends, Neighbors, etc.

And yes, to still have paper towels to hand out to those who may need them.

Laura Anne and Bella Boo - who thinks "Puppies" should come first.