Riding Out Hurricane Harvey

The news of Harvey forming in the Gulf of Mexico already had my heart beating faster inside my chest. Flashes of memories from the Memorial day floods ran through my mind and I felt like the nightmare was starting all over again. After a week of watching the storm form from a tropical storm to a full blown hurricane, I knew my nightmare would be coming true. It was disheartening but at least this time we were aware of this high possibility of flooding. Last time our rental house flooded all of the family’s cars were all totaled and it took much of our savings to get new vehicles. This time we made sure to move the vehicles to higher ground and we moved as much of our things to the second floor.

Bayou was rising and we knew flooding was inevitable.

Maybe many of you have questions such as, why did we not move? Why did we not evacuate? and so on and so on. It can seem like things could have been done better while we are on the outside looking into the situation. However, this is one of those situations while it’s easy to make judgments the answers are not always clear. I grew up in Florida and other tropical islands and never have I been as affected as I have been with the current disaster. It was scary and watching the water rise into my house was so upsetting but I had to put on my big girl panties and deal with protecting my family. As many have told me since the floods that material things can be replaced but lives cannot. Yes, they are right, but it’s so hard to see all you have worked for gone in minutes.

The house flooded higher than last time. The water was higher and too deep for me to be walking around in since I am a shorty.

Now the flood waters have cleared and the everything that was floating around the house has settled on the ground wherever it was when the water started receding back into the bayou and down the heavily affected drainage system. The day is so sunny and bright it’s is hard to imagine that this storm left thousands homeless and at least 70 people dead in its wake. I didn’t cry at all during the storm nor when I saw the destruction of my home and belongings, only when my boss came to talk to me about the floods did I cry. My husband to intent on making sure we had enough supplies and a place to stay after the floods forgot to take his own personal belongings upstairs. Growing up poor the loss of his personal belongings and memories from his times in the military bothers him far more than anyone else in the family.

I am telling my story in hopes that others affected can know that they are not alone and I also want to take the time to thank all the people in my life who have supported me and my family through this emotional and psychological trying period in our lives. I hope that if you can’t reach out and help monetarily that as a friend you will reach out and recognize everyone needs support in many different ways. Lastly, a friend of mine decided that we needed to get out of our current home and we agreed. So, my friend started a GoFundMe account. The people who have either donated or shared my fund with others who have donated I can never thank enough. It gives us hope that there are people out there who will help if they are able. So in an unusual stance, I am asking my readers and followers for help spreading the word of my fund account. I realize not everyone will want to share it. Why should you help me when others are in more need? Well, help those in more need first, but I do hope you keep me and my family in mind. Please, #Share my GoFundMe and I thank you in advance for your time in doing so.

https://www.gofundme.com/busanee-relief-fund

Mold growth day 2!

#hurrianerelief #charities #GoFundMe #floods #HoustonStrong 

This neighbor had to find shelter in their attic.