Flooding Update

Copied straight from facebook because I am wrung out and absolutely have to get some sleep tonight (not that my struggles in my dry house all safe in beautiful weather are notable here, but it is SO HARD to be far away and USELESS at times like this). It's been a day of texts and calls to family and friends, google searching for updated pictures and flood conditions, and wishing so very much that anything I could do from here would be helpful at all to my family down there.

But without further ado, this is where tonight finds us:

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My brother, trapped for 2 days at a friend's house far across town and then under a mandatory evacuation order there, was able to make a break for it and drive through the water to get back to his condo in The Heights today. He is not under water and other than non-stop worry about my parents, he is fine.

My parents woke up to the lake water having crawled 75 feet forward from its usual place in the lake to swallowing their pool, depositing foreign boats and jet skis in their yard, and lapping at their back door. They moved all the furniture, pictures, and heirlooms they could upstairs just before the Coast Guard informed them they were under a mandatory evacuation order and their house may not be standing when they get back. They tried to drive out, nearly flooded, and reversed back. They stood in the pouring rain with their bag of dog food, suitcase, and 3 dogs and waved down a high-water-vehicle. They were dropped at the nearest spot above the water line, an open parking lot a few streets over and stood in the rain until a nearby family drove by and asked if they needed a place to stay. My parents and all 3 dogs are currently sheltering at the Good Samaritan's house.

It was hard, so hard, to leave behind their just-finished dream home, filled with passed-down family furniture, memory items (my grandparents' wedding album, my mom's wedding dress, my wedding dress, baby clothes and items from their college days... my heart just aches) and all the new pieces that are part of my childhood memories that they've lovingly picked out over the years. The antiques they crammed into our travel trailer that they bought on our family road trips... my great-grandparents' dining set, my great-grandfather's chess set... just so many things that have heart and history. It's just stuff, but it's ours, and it hurts.

The water levels continue to rise and are expected to do so for several more days and their home may not withstand it. But, they are dry and they are safe. When one of us last got in touch with them, they were eating popcorn and watching a movie with their hosts. After the terror and shocked sadness of abandoning their home hours in the pouring rain hours earlier, with white-capped fast flowing water approaching the house on both sides, that update, combined with the surety of their safety, is enough.

My brother is endlessly searching for routes to get to them, but it's unlikely he'll be able to do so tomorrow, so they may be heading to a shelter in the morning. [Updated update, a friend may be able to get to them!] For now we are so thankful for the kindness of strangers and the fact that their phones, while intermittent, continue to work. So please keep them and all of Houston in your thoughts- there are so many people so much worse off, and donate to some of the wonderful local relief organizations if you can. I'll update tomorrow when we know more.

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Thank you all for your messages today. In between pointless googling and twitter searches, they were a bright spot of support and internet friendship and I appreciate it more than I can say. I hope my Houstonian and Gulf Coast readers are doing okay. Every time the reality of this nightmare gets me down, I'm so buoyed by the pictures of people helping others. It's little, but your messages buoy me. Thank you.