Belated Birthday Wishes

Happy belated Birthday Alex! Alex, my niece who lives in Hershey, PA , turned 7 on April 1st. No fooling! We heard the celebration was scheduled for today :) I happened to find one picture of her that I had scanned in advance of her birthday, which is turning into a really fortunate thing. Because I would have a hard time actually getting my hands on any other pictures right now. I am also having a hard time getting my hands on her actual gift that desperately needs to go in the mail to get to her, you no in time for ummmm, May Day perhaps? I'd say Easter but that only gives me a week. And I've suddenly just realized I am becoming my mother. And mom's present should hopefully arrive in time for Christmas.


Hope you have a happy day Alex!! Nolan and Colton said eat lots of cake for them!! Love your cousins and Aunt Vicky and Uncle Rick.

He's home now too.

My dad that is. Home and doing fairly well. The fluid is off, his breathing is better and his voice is strong. My breathing is better too now. I am better, and I am not. Mostly yes, sometimes still no. I read in the Fargo Forum today that the total number of "psychological first aid visits reached 1,615 in the Red River Valley." For a people who pride themselves on "stubborn self-reliance and ability to weather adversity," according to reporter Patrick Springer of the Forum, " a sense of nagging bewilderment" lingers. Some are saying "I'm just not right, I don't know how to think straight."

I've been trying to process a lot of this myself. Why does it seem harder now in ways, with the threat diminishing for so many of us? I look back and see a few things. I realize we had something to rally around. We organized, we worked together and we supported one another. Our cause was the same. It didn't matter to me that we were building a dike at the grey/blue house, because what protected them, protected us. What was the difference really? And when city officials called for 1.5 million sandbags and raised that number daily to a staggering 3.5 million? It all got done. In fact in a 3-D rendering using Google SketchUp, Matt Chambers a former Fargoan who helped in the sandbagging efforts, gives some good visualizations to just what 3.5 million sandbags look like. Go here for the renderings : 3 D sandbag visualizations.

But now? We are on our own in many regards. We were scattered about and then finally called home to a much different scenario. The national guard are reducing their numbers. The once heavily patrolled streets are quieter. The water is receding. And the sandbags we're told, will have to be taken down by ourselves. There is no plan. No vested men telling us when or how. Its hanging out there uncertain and unsure.

And a part of me is still waiting for someone to tell me what to do. Nolan wants to sleep in our room, just in case the water comes in the night. The kids fight, whine and bicker more than usual. My nerves are frayed. I can't remember the last time I was away from them? Colton asks to go back to school every day. He thinks Monday he will. I haven't had the heart to tell him that with school starting two hours late on Monday, morning kindergarten will not happen on Monday. Its my new normal.

But then I catch myself. I sound ungrateful. And I am not. Out of sync perhaps. Bewildered maybe. Its not just me. My neighbor is training to run in the Fargo Marathon again this year. She hasn't missed a year since its inception a few years back. But she had a 16 mile run on Saturday that didn't go well. She got tired more quickly than usual. She also got dehydrated and almost blacked out. She is now worried she won't make it. Mentally, she has a block. But, she was amazing in the sand bag lines. Strong, steady and a hard worker. She threw many, heavy bags, relentlessly. And then she couldn't sleep when she was evacuated. Plus, after some long days at work, she tried to run that Saturday and couldn't. Is anyone surprised by this? I wasn't. But I told her I know her. She will run in the marathon anyway. Maybe, she'll have to walk a bit. Maybe she'll have a slower time. But she'll finish. And when she thinks she can't, I will be there to tell her she can.

We'll rally again. This I believe. We'll rally again.

Flood relief... we're home!

My mom could have sworn she heard that Zone one was being allowed to return home. So we started to pack up yesterday and then did some research. Mom was wrong. Not yet. But soon. So we called a couple of friends who said we had 10 new inches of snow on the ground, but it had stopped for awhile. We decided to head for home. We snapped the first photo as we left the lake. And as you can see Dakota picked a different boy to snuggle close to, although it may have had something to do with the french fries on Colton's lap.

We returned to a mess, but a dry one! While the river levels continue to decline however, they have warned about the possibility of a new crest when all this snow melts and so I am allowed to organize the mess, but it will have to stay upstairs till we're safely through the next crest.

I even talked to my dad last night for the first time since early last week. His voice is stronger and his spirits are good. And to everyone who has been saying prayers for all of us? I have to say I think they are working. Do you know that the hospital my dad is in only started taking patients 15 minutes before he arrived? 15 minutes. Otherwise he would have been transported to Minneapolis. My dad has been hospitalized many times in this hospital. But this time is unique for many reasons. He has two doctors. And he said they both come in and sit down. They shoot the breeze with him and have gotten to know him. And the chaplain came to see him. I could tell that struck a chord with my dad. And then the head administrator came for a visit. Since dad is a bit of a regular there, the administrator wanted to know my dad's opinion on the care he receives there. I am certain my dad was happy to tell him. But I think the extremely attentive nurses have been my dad's favorite thing so far. I heard one telling dad he went all over the hospital just to find the strawberry Jello for dad.

While no one is proclaiming we are completely out of the woods, the sense of relief I feel is huge. The only April Fools joke I have to share with you is that the flood gates still opened. My own that is... I have been a teary-eyed mess all morning. And it isn't that we suffered or lost, or weren't made extremely comfortable at the lake, cause we were indeed. But we've just been under a lot of stress. Regardless of the reason, the tallest of dikes could not have held me back. What a relief, they don't have to.

Flozzard anyone?

What do you call a cross between a blizzard and a flood?  Flozzard works for me.  I've been trying to get a few pictures of the current state of things, but its all white with some branches showing in between.  We're hunkered in for the time being.

Of course the plot has thickened a bit again.  I "know before I know" at times, to borrow from the author Elizabeth Berg.  When I saw that I had missed three calls from my mom yesterday I knew it was one of two things.  Either she was going to tell me the basement had flooded, or dad was sick.  It turns out that my dad was sick.  Between phone calls from my brother and I we managed to light a sufficient enough fire under mom to take my dad in.  I am always relieved to be validated in my thinking when it comes to the health of my parents.  The emergency doctors told my mom they were very happy she had brought my dad in, knowing it was a strain on her to do so.  But his o2 sats were at 70 on 3 liters, and that is not moving much air at all.  He also has fluid built up around his heart again and his pulse was weak.  But here is where I see some of the grace of god.  Even though the hospital is not taking patients technically, they did take my dad.  And he is getting a lot of individual attention.  Mom found a hotel room right across the street and Dr. See promised he had some "pull" and in an empty hospital he would russle up a bed for her if need be.  Mom also gets a security escort whenever she moves about the hospital.  She even got a special escort of a "handsome" young man who insisted on holding her arm as she walked to her car in the ramp.  So while I worry about how they are, really they are probably in the best of care for their current situation.  

So we've managed to find a few activities for the boys to do.  We got to see Monsters vs. Aliens on Saturday and the boys gave it the thumbs up.  And we went bowling yesterday.  Although it wasn't rockin bowling or cosmic bowling, it was "expensive" bowling.  So 40 dollars later we came home and the boys devised their own version of bowling.  Left to their own devices and tired of constantly bickering they worked together and devised a system using water bottles and an orange soft baby ball.  They actually played most of this morning.  

The project Nolan is probably the most proud of is the pillow case he helped Grandma Carole sew.  He chose his material and helped cut quilt square.  He helped iron and piece it together.  He is so proud of it and slept with it last night!  

Btw, while its a less than stellar photo, guess who won the first game of bowling? I had to take a picture of the scores for posterity as mommy is not known for her bowling scores, whereas daddy usually is. Anybody that has a ball with their name on it typically is not threatened by me.

Thanks everyone for your continued presence and prayers! Its helping. Its getting us through and we're grateful. And if you are so inclined, could you say an extra prayer for dad tonight? I'd be so honored for you to send some positive vibes his way.

From Floods to Blizzards

Thanks to David Samson of the Fargo Forum, I was pleasantly surprised to see our rental house appear on the pages of the newspaper yesterday (third house in from the end of the block,  just past the big tree.)  The picture is intended to show the storm drains backing up into the streets and it just so happens to have occurred on the avenue next to our affectionately named "blue" house.  It too has been evacuated.  I miss being able to lay eyes on the surrounding condition of things.  I'm on the outside looking in and it has me feeling displaced.  Well that and a little bit of water :)

But Rick came to spend a little time with us today and I am hoping he can help the boys feel some normalcy. Grandpa and Grandma are bending over backwards to accommodate all of us and we are so grateful for the hospitality. But the rhythm of our days is so warped it sure has the boys feeling out of sorts. Even I woke up to the sound of a young boy trying to get down from his bunk bed in time to go to the bathroom and sat up too quickly forgetting I was on the bottom bed.  I'm sporting a new goose egg on the side of my head.   We are hearing the "I just want to go home" cry more often now and then the "what can I do cry" is ever more prevalent.  And I am hearing from my fellow evacuees, their children are much the same way. Its difficult when moms and dads don't have the ready answers.

The news on the water level in the Red River is actually encouraging as it continues to slowly drop. But their is a speed bump along the way. A Blizzard with the potential of 8-14 inches of snow.  Surprisingly,  the snow is not the biggest concern as it has less water content than rain... but the wind associated with it could wreak havoc on our "no wake zone" on the river. It also means the streets will be a challenge to drive on and if there are dike breachs it may take some time for responders to get to them. But I have faith. You have to expect a number of breachs and leaks and unforeseen events. And so far they have all been effectively dealt with. So regardless the obstacle, I am certain the members of our well-trained coast guard and national guard will prevail in the end.

These videos have been circulating on Youtube and this is #8 in a series being done by Lee Hoedel.  My internet connection makes  it seem  choppy  so I haven't been able to view them in entirety,  but  I saw the first 3 at home and was really moved by them .  And in the absence of any actual pictures, I am just happy to have something to post, because between the dog throwing up and the needs of the kids, I'm a little low on creative juice.   

We also wanted to wish Rick's younger brother, Matt, a Happy Birthday today!   We are all thinking of you, Matt, and hope you have a great day!  

Thanks for the continued support.  I welcome any ideas you may have for activities for cooped up boys in a lake cabin up north :)   

Still Waters...

Rick managed to get downtown Moorhead this afternoon and took these photos. I just find it so hard to comprehend the volume of water contained here. I see the pictures and my mouth hangs open and its hard for my eyes to take it all in. I wish I had easy access to a "before" photo to compare for you. But I can just tell you typically you can stand on this bridge and the water is way, way below you.

Its clear to me we've all been affected. Even Dakota sought refuge with an unlikely ally. Normally this would be the last little wild boy she would choose to curl up with.

But for now, we are surrounded by nature's beauty. By stillness. Peace. Calm. At least, all we have to do is STEP outside the house and this is what is at our fingertips. The boys are challenging some of the "quiet" and "calm" but that is normal on any given day. I took the photos below the day we arrived and they were sheer joy to my battle weary soul. And the last photo is one my father-in-law took of an owl residing in one of his trees. It isn't hard to see where Rick gets his photographic eye from.

The news on the river is that it may have crested and gradually declined although this is only a preliminary report. With the forecast for more precipitation Monday or Tuesday and more water flowing from the south, all reports are cautious in proclaiming anything concrete on whether or not this is a stable condition.

I've been asked this question a lot lately... "What can I do for you?" I'm at a loss as to know how to respond. I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by such caring and compassionate people who are always thinking of others. I also feel extremely blessed to have all of my needs met right now. Our house is still dry, we are comfortable and warm and safe. And most importantly we are learning that "home" is really where your family is. It isn't about the four walls, the roof and the floor, its all the intangibles that make a home. "Together" is a home.

So in a sense I feel like I have joined you. I'm on the outside looking in. I itch to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty again. There are still too many people that are not dry, safe or comfortable. Friends are reporting 24 hour dike watches and at homes with no power and no running water to the house, only the constant lapping water at their front door. I can only imagine the fear they stare down every day, the exhaustion on a magnitude that I don't know that I could endure if it were me and perhaps even loneliness if you've remained at your house and sent your family on to safety. So will you continue to do this with me? Will you continue to keep those that are suffering in your hearts, your thoughts and prayers? Pray for stamina and alertness for those on watch. Pray for endurance and guidance for our leaders. And for those who have suffered losses of a portion or an entire home, pray for comfort and courage to rebuild.

And for all of us parents with yet another whole week of school being cancelled, pray for mommy's and daddy's to stay patient, loving and supportive for the upheaval our kids are going through. Thank you all.

Home Away From Home.

In reality we didn't leave until this morning. Although we packed and were ready to go my own parents hadn't firmed up their own plans and by the time we were in a place to be able to go, we were beyond being in any shape to drive. We crashed in our beds and woke up to a chill in the air and sun in the sky. And eery silence. Ghost town. At least in our area.

These were the last photos we took as we headed out of town. The top photo is the coulee across from our park. The bottom two are the coulee behind our house that we have worked so diligently to constuct. Its as close to the river as we could get, although we haven't seen it now for a couple of days. I rather like the portion of the sign left showing, in the foreground. It looks like it says "No." I am in total agreement with that. No as in no more flooding. No more water. No more. NO.

We managed to make it safely to Park Rapids, to Grandpa Jim's and Grandma Carole's lake home, where we were welcomed with open arms. While we don't have local tv stations we do have internet access and I'll check in as time allows. The river has not crested yet. But the unforseen circumstance that seems to have had a postive effect on slowing it down is the cold weather. Its very much an irony to me that the very thing we have longed to have leave, is the very thing that may have saved us in the end. We're counting our blessings and hoping and praying for the best possible outcome for everyone. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. Knowing so many people are rooting for us has kept us going when every step is such an uncertain one.