It's funny how you can agree with something your husband is doing, even want him to do it, but still feel sad. I miss Darrell already, and he isn't even gone yet. Although his plans to leave directly from work I'm sure contribute to that.
He's heading to New Jersey, to help his parents start cleaning up and recovering what they can from having a foot of water in their home from Hurricane Sandy. His sister lives along the same river, and had about the same amount of water in her home. And they have two boys to take care of through this as well. Darrell's sister was arguably more prepared. They were home with warning of the storm's intensity. They put everything they could in their one-room upstairs and elevated other things. They have flood insurance. Darrell's parents were already in Florida for the winter, asking friends to do what they could, but I don't think they really know what they will be coming home to as they begin the travel back today. They also cancelled their flood insurance years ago. Why pay for something you've never needed to use? Obviously there is an answer now - Sandy.
Regardless, this is devastation that I can't really imagine. I grew up on a hill high enough that Darrell called it a mountain. You know those end of the world movies that show devastating, world-wide flooding? Well, the state I grew up in is usually where they show that US east coast flooding stopping. There's a little thing called the Appalachian mountains standing in the way. Yes, there is still flooding in my home state in those valleys, but it would take the likes of Noah's flood to wipe out my childhood home. I've moved around a lot since then, but I've still never lived directly by water any bigger than a small creek (and still at a much higher elevation even than it), never even been very close to living within a 100-year flood plain.
But I see the longing in my husband's eyes when we visit that river he grew up on. I see him light up when we take out our little boat, trailering it an hour away just to enjoy the water for the day. I know he misses walking out the back door and right into a boat that is already docked in the water. Even I get a little wistful when I sit out beside it and imagine what it must be like to have an ocean or a beautiful river as your back yard. It's amazing, I'm sure. I don't think my in-laws would trade it for homes anywhere else.
And so, they'll clean up, move on, and hope and pray that this is the worst flood their lifetimes will ever see. And I'm proud that my husband is willing to drop everything and travel states away to help his family. It's exactly what I would want him to do. I just wish he could stay here with us, too.
So, safe travels to my love. And lots of prayers and thoughts to my in-laws as they reclaim their beautiful homes, and to so many more families in the eastern US as they do the same, or dig out from under feet of snow, or just brave the cold while they wait for their electricity to be restored. I'm thinking of all of you, and please know that we always have an extra bedroom for those who need it. Take care and be safe.
