The Flood Diaries, 2

(In my previous post, I began compiling Facebook posts that I made during Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. Here are the rest of those entries.)

 

Saturday, Sept. 9 – Back at the house in Orangefield. My brothers Jimmy & David & their team have done some amazing work, getting wet flooring, sheet rock, cabinets, and more removed and thrown out, and stacking up things that can be salvaged.

Job 1 over the next few days will be to go through all the salvaged stuff and continue the sorting/storing/disposal process. Kathy is washing dishes right now, and I’ve also been on the phone with FEMA and the insurance people. I foresee an immediate future of lots of organizing and sorting, and a lot of trips to Walmart and Home Depot. This will be a long process. So many others are in the same shape or worse. As always, your continuing prayers are deeply appreciated.

 

Tuesday, Sept. 12 – The work of cleaning, sorting, and boxing up what can be salvaged, continues here at the house. It’s a slow, tedious process with lots of little joys and much sadness – joys at finding unexpected sentimental items that were either undamaged, or else can be dried out and kept; sadness at so much that was soaked and cannot be kept. So many books – books that I have treasured – so many Bible study notes – all gone.

On the other hand, it’s just stuff. And we are still very blessed. My son Travis was able to get my computer going again! That’s a definite blessing. And so many friends, praying for us, encouraging us, sustaining us.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.

 

(From my sister-in-law, Christy) Saturday, Sept. 16 –  I have to say that today has been ridiculously hard. For over 33 years this home has been an anchor for our family. I watched my kids grow up in this house and I can’t even begin to count how many dinners I had around her dinner table. I did not grow up in this house but it was my home too. Overwhelming is an understatement by far. We will restore what’s been lost and work to bring Dad home. We will have family dinners, holidays and reunions here again. We are strong, we are 1RG!! #1RGFamily

More stuff to throw away

Jimmy at work

 

Saturday, Sept. 23 – I’m happy to report, it has been a fairly productive week. We have completely emptied out all of the closets and gone through all of the records, receipts, papers, keepsakes, and memorabilia that my mother collected / acquired / inherited over the years. This was a group project that several family members worked on together.

We found some absolutely fascinating material, such as:

• A list of all the towns & villages in France where Grandpa Garison fought during World War I, including notes about which villages they marched to, and which ones they rode in trucks to reach.
• Mom’s scrapbook from her senior year in high school, including souvenirs from attending the Texas Music Educators Association convention in Dallas in 1955. I never knew she had dreams of becoming a music teacher and band director!
• The “bride’s book” that my grandmother Sallie had from her wedding in 1934.

And on and on and on.

Meanwhile, we have pulled all the sheetrock from the house. We still have to demo dad’s bathroom – it got a LOT of water behind the walls – and to finish taking out the upper kitchen cabinets. We’re planning to reuse some of those, but for now, they have to come out. And other work remains.

I am so tired. Tired from moving stuff from room to room. Tired of smelling the mildew stink from the enormous pile of rotten furniture and moldy building materials piled up out by the road. Tired of being tired.

But I know we are making progress. The piles of stuff to go through are getting smaller. Our family is closer than ever, I think. Friends are coming alongside us to help in ways big and small. God is faithful, and He promises that when we pass through the floodwaters, they will not sweep us away.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.

#1RGStrong

 

Wednesday, Oct. 4 – Most of the work of sorting, packing, and throwing away is finished. On the upper shelves of five closets, my mom had saved box after box of photos, scrapbooks, old receipts, and more. Some of it has been wonderful to explore – but much of it, quite tedious. (Mom, did you really need to save your cancelled checks all the way back to 1957?)

Anyway, we have finished going through all that, and repacking what’s worth keeping. We have ripped out all the old Sheetrock and insulation from the whole house, except for one tiny bathroom that we’re still using. It’s next on the demo list. Then we can start to rebuild.

For my part, after several long conversations with my brothers, we have decided that I should go home to Abilene. There’s really not much for me to do here, and my carpentry skills are so poor, I usually tear up more than I fix. Fortunately, my dear wife Kathy also thinks it’s a good idea for me to come home. So, towards the end of next week, we will load up a truck with my stuff and schlep our way west across Texas.

Dad remains in a skilled nursing center in Lewisville, where my brother visits him twice a day, and where many of the grandkids and great-grandkids can come to see him. He’s getting excellent care. At some point during the rebuilding process, we may move him to a care facility closer to home. Our goal, of course, is to get the house back in a livable state, and get dad back in it. That is several months away.

I’m looking forward to being back in Abilene, and so many wonderful friends there, but I’m also going to miss being in Orangefield. I will miss the old friends that I have reconnected with, and the new ones I’ve made. I will especially miss the West Orange Christian Church where I’ve been preaching, and the wonderful folks there. None of us knows what tomorrow holds. Im planning to move back here in the spring, assuming that dad is able to come back home when the house is ready. God may have other ideas.

This will probably be my last update from the flood zone. It’s been just over a month now, and life goes on. But I have been reminded of how precious and tenuous life is, and how much we need our neighbors, family and friends.

Thank you to all who have shared so generously with your prayers, concern, your calls and emails, and your gifts. There’s a part of me that is thankful for having gone through this, because of what it has taught me about learning to depend on God. On the other hand, I’m ready for this chapter to be over, and to get back to ordinary things.

What’s next?

The Flood Diaries, 1

Longtime readers of this blog know that I took the summer off from writing – then came Hurricane Harvey. I broke my self-imposed exile from Facebook to post pictures and make comments and observations during and after the flood.

I thought I would gather all of those thoughts and pictures together to keep them as a record of this whole episode. I’m planning to edit these as minimally as possible.

Here’s my look back at Harvey and his aftermath, 2017.

Saturday, Aug. 26 – As of 3 pm CDT, Dad & I are fine. There are reports of tornadoes in the area, but we’re safe. Prayers appreciated for everyone being affected by these storms.

Monday, Aug. 28 – 15″ here & counting, so far. Many have received 2 or 3 times that much. The next round is starting.

Tuesday, Aug. 29 – As of 8 am Tuesday morning – we have received 18″ here at the house, including 2.5 over night, and it’s still raining. There is widespread flooding across the county, and rain is expected for at least another day or two.

We are fine here, thank the Lord – the house is dry, and we still have plenty of groceries, and electricity. We are all going a bit stir crazy from being cooped up together, but not bad, considering what so many others are dealing with.

Continuing prayers for everyone affected by this storm certainly appreciated!

 

Thursday, Aug. 31 – Okay, first things first – dad and I are safe. We started getting water in the house about 3:30 yesterday morning. By mid-morning it was 18″ deep & rising.

Dad’s House

The house & yard from the road

The kitchen – the water is about 14″ deep at this point and still rising

We had quite an ordeal getting out, including waiting outside for over two hours in a cold, windy rain. But after 7 hours and 5 different transfers, we made it to the emergency shelter at Bridge City Elementary School. I hereby take back any snarky thing I may have ever said about Bridge City. Those people absolutely knocked themselves out to take care of us. God bless them for their kindness and generosity.

 

Dad & Chica

Loading up to leave

This morning we were bussed to Jack Brooks Airport (Beaumont/ Port Arthur), where we were transferred into the care of FEMA. We are not sure what is next. They’re telling us we’re going to be flown out to shelters outside the hazard zone, especially with new storms expected here this weekend. We’ve heard Dallas. We’ve heard Galveston, or perhaps Austin. I don’t think anyone knows for sure.

Dad is holding up pretty well. He got very wet & cold yesterday but was better once I got him warm & dry. And we are thankful to our friend Max, who was able to take in Chica, so we don’t have to worry about her.

I will try and post some pics when I can. Meanwhile, just know that we are safe & dry, and sooner or later will head to a shelter. I will update as I get the chance. Thanks to everyone for all the prayers, and please keep ’em going up.

Praise God for His care, and for the kindness of neighbors and strangers for the assistance they are continuing to give – sometimes at the peril of their very lives. God’s protection be over them.

PS – I forgot to mention – we received an ADDITIONAL 28″ of rain from Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning. Crazy.

 

Friday, Sept. 1 – Friday morning – My apologies for not being able to update before now. FEMA and the Air National Guard evacuated us last night to Dallas on a C-130 cargo plane. Buzzy picked us up at Love Field, and Kathy and Erin met us at Buz & Deb’s house.

Dad is fine, sort of. He’s absolutely exhausted. I think we’re going to have to admit him into an assisted living center, for the time being, which is not going to make him happy. I’m afraid his house will be unlivable for a while. Last we heard, the water had not even started to go down there. I have been involved with enough flood recovery to know that it will be a long process. We fully intend to rebuild and get him back home ASAP. We are going to start talking to FEMA and our insurance people today.

Chica is staying with our friend Max, who didn’t get flooded.

Lots of people have been asking how they can help. To be honest, we got out with not much more than the clothes we were wearing. I’m still a bit overwhelmed by it all, but thankful to the Lord for His help and for so many wonderful friends.

 

Friday, Sept. 1 – Lunch in Ft. Worth – Happy to be out of the aftermath of Harvey – heading back to Abilene for a while, and having lunch at #Whataburger #TexasComfortFood.

 

Saturday, Sept. 2 – First morning back in Abilene. Ate some great Mexican food last night. Going shopping for clothes. Filling out FEMA forms. Happy to be alive and out of SE Texas for a few days, but my heart aches for so many who have lost so much – ourselves included. Praising the One Who is close to the broken-hearted. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever!

 

Wednesday, Sept. 6 – Exactly one week ago, dad & I were on the side of a canal levee, in the rain, waiting on a second boat ride, to get to some place dry. Today, I’m sitting on the patio of my favorite Mexican food place in Abilene, enjoying a delicious chile rellenos for lunch.

The contrast is surreal.

I have no words to express my gratitude for SO MANY FRIENDS who have blessed us with their prayers, phone calls, gifts, and so much more. Abilene – Haskell – West Texas – I cherish you. A thousand times, thank you.

Dad remains in a skilled nursing center in North Texas. It’s not where he wants to be, but it’s necessary for the time being. We plan to get him home as soon as feasible. Two of my brothers are going into the house today, to begin the cleanup & recovery phase of all this. Kathy & I are planning to head that way soon. So many of our family & friends in SE Texas are in the same situation as us, or worse. Your continuing prayers, along with other expressions of support, are definitely appreciated: prayers in protection against looters, especially.

Meanwhile, the truth of Isa. 43:2 has become very dear to me.

PS – In thanking our WEST Texas friends, I didn’t mean to leave out our EAST Texas friends who have also been so kind. We treasure you all!

 

Friday, Sept. 8 – “Once more unto the breach, dear friends…” I have cherished these days in Abilene with family & friends to rest up from our evacuation, but now it’s time to get back to work – heading back to Orange County, where my brothers and their team have already begun working on dad’s house. It will be a long process.

Words cannot express how moved and overwhelmed I have been by the outpouring of love and support from so many. You have refreshed my spirit in many ways, and I am deeply grateful.

Please continue in prayer for dad and our family through this time. And until I see you again, may the good Lord bless and keep you.