Knock, Knock...Anyone out there anymore?? Probably not..It's been months since my last post..Life as I know it has ceased and I'm in a new chapter of our lives (and unfortunately so is Suka) Summer was wonderful and busy..We enjoyed lots of outdoor fun and sunshine. September came and the first day back to school marked the first of a nightmare..
1am sept 8th, never slept, up all night watching and waiting...noticed 2 men
pointing in our backyard who were walking past..Looked out the window to see
that the house behind us was completely encircled with a huge pool of water, and
half our yard was already filling...Ran upstairs to grab the family and suitcase
I packed..left 2 dogs with food/water on first floor (stupid) and 2 cats locked
in upstairs bathroom. Flew out of the house and loaded the kids and 1 dog (who
is destructive when left alone) into his kennel and into the van, just as police
was pulling up to have us evac. Were supposed to go 2 Bobs work, but all roads
were impassable (and it wouldn't have done any good because they flooded and
were evacuated as well) went to a shelter I heard about from a friend on
facebook that was just opening up in Owego. On the way we had to cross
floodwaters that were above the bottom hood of the van- Bob's van didn't make
it. Had to be pushed out of the water and up onto a nearby neighbors land..I hit
the gas and prayed we would make it. We did. Bob drove Samanthas car up and over
into the grass so her car was also saved..Stayed in a shelter 3 plus days, with
no electricity, no shower..thankfully the building had a daycare in it, so we
had some food. Found out after our house flooded a foot inside the first fl and
completely filled the basement..Everything we stored in top shelves, and even
some we brought upstairs was ruined..Two days in Bob and the teens went to
rescue our dogs..Found a rowboat, and rescued the dogs by boat. Teens opened the
bathroom door and my cat got out while no one noticed, and thankfully after a
huge search and a day later a very thin Mooch came out of hiding....Sister got a
hold of me and even though bridges were out by her house, a very long way around
was found, so we packed up and inundated her home for I think 4 days but I can't
even remember anymore.. Dogs were on tieouts in yard, cats resided on a side
porch, and we stayed in a warm lit home for the first time in what felt like an
eternity..When we went to inspect the house's damage we found that the back
foundation was completely gone with the exception of a corner stone on one side
and the garage on the other side..Other foundation was separating from the
ground and some was cracked. Our pastor was driving by and set up time and
people from church the next day, rented a uhaul trailer and brought a few pickup
trucks. A few dear friends from our old church came and helped out all morning
(I still don't know what I would have done without you!) clearing out as much
rubbish and salvaging as much on the first fl. as we could.. By the time most of
the first fl was done, the ceiling was separating from the walls in Christiana's
back room, and cracks were coming out in the walls in the dining room, not to
mention, the back of the house was leaning down and it looked really unsafe..Bob
showed up around 5:15PM long enough to kick everyone out of the house because he
said it was too dangerous to work any longer (could say something right now, but
I will choose to hold my tongue) Our pastor and church also graciously offered
up the parsonage house for us to stay in temporarily until we figure out what
will be happening with our house..Our old house on Temple Street we sold on land
contract, we weren't required flood insurance, and we have a sinking feeling the
people who bought it will be walking away from it.. which will leave us with 2
homes that are in really bad shape (temple street f looded 3 ft into the f irst
fl) The good news is, my family was spared, down to the dogs and cats,
God's provided a beautiful home to stay in, A wonderful family who showed what
being family is all about- allowing us the comfort and relief after a very
traumatic and devastating experience..not to mention a wonderful church family
who are willing to roll up their sleeves and help as best they can, and
stability for my children in the midst of chaos..The bad news is, we
lost a vehicle, lost our house, may be stuck with another mess of a house and 2
mortgages, and I lost almost all income into the home because I did daycare out
of my home.. I'm learning to take each day at a time..Each day is a gift, and if
nothing else, this experience is drawing me closer to my Lord, He sure does have
strong arms, and there's nothing better than being encircled by my Heavenly
Father's Hug when the tears won't stop falling...
So now Suka lives in an outdoor kennel with an insulated doggloo house, and a tarp over the top, with one of his brothers (the other brother is staying with my parents right now because he just couldn't tolerate being outside due to his age/arthritis) It's been almost 3 months with no answers from flood insurance, and albeit I have a lot to be thankful for, I have to struggle this thanksgiving not focusing on the troubles..
Thru all of this, I haven't forgetten you, just my spirit has been a little crushed and it's hard to motivate yourself for good when you are swimming in feeling sorry for yourself.
I hope all of you are well and have a BLESSED and WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!! Very Sincerely, Elizabeth
