The last few days have been akin to falling into the dark end of the rabbit hole. We have been living in a surreal nightmare that kept us in fear while caging us with wind and water.
This is not a river. This is a street.
As I have lived in Texas my entire life, heavy storms are not unfamiliar territory. However, from Friday through Tuesday, we received more than one hundred forty tornado warnings as well as dozens upon dozens of flash flood alerts. Those are actual numbers of alerts, not exaggerations. Spending hours worrying if you are going to lose your home is exhausting. Spending those same hours worrying if your family is safe is exponentially worse. 
I was so afraid for my children’s safety that we set up little mattresses in my husband’s closet, and that’s where they slept for the past few days. They are just returning to their rooms tonight.
This was taken in a nursing home to the southeast of us. They were rescued and relocated, but my heart feels raw when I see this.
The news just said that we received 52″ of rain in this storm. 52″. It seems unreal, but the deluge was impossibly heavy and pummeled our homes relentlessly hour after hour. I joked to my friends that I expected to look out my window and see pairs of animals walking toward a big boat. It was beyond belief.
God bless the Cajun Navy. I can’t put into words my love for these people.
Incredibly, our home and neighborhood never lost power. We were able to keep track of the news while keeping in touch with our friends and family. We quickly learned that we would not be facing this alone.
Before the rain showed any sign of stopping, many dear neighbors from surrounding towns and states were in the water rescuing those in need all around Houston. I have friends who were picked up by boats and oversized construction vehicles at their flooded homes. Firefighters, police officers, members of the military, and overall amazing people continue to risk their lives to help us here. A few beautiful souls have lost their lives in the process. I cannot express my sadness at these losses.
Countless people have lost their homes. Hurricanes are known for their destructive natures, but Hurricane Harvey drew a tremendously broad stroke of destruction unlike any other we have experienced.
This neighboring family was extremely lucky. They lost a beautiful tree, but it fell away from their home.
These dear friends were less fortunate. It makes my heart ache to see this.
This photo was taken by a close friend of my sister. She took the picture right before first responders transported her and her family away from their once beautiful home to safety.
The three images above are neighbors and family friends. There are thousands upon thousands more homes that have been terribly damaged or destroyed.
I saw multiple military transport planes overhead as I left the neighborhood today. I was overjoyed to see them.
Although the rain stopped at last today, we found ourselves facing yet another complication from all of the water. The flood control authorities have initiated controlled water releases from the reservoir dams in an attempt to maintain the integrity of those critical structures.
Certain neighborhoods are expected to experience additional flooding given these releases, but I understand the need to sacrifice a small area with controlled water releases for the sake of preventing a very literal tidal wave of water flowing over miles and miles of heavily populated areas. Despite my ability to understand the need, this does not change the fact that my parents live in the high risk zone impacted by those releases nor does it change the fact that their home will be washed away if the dam fails. Water is already spilling over the top and around the sides.
I wish I could tell you that this was me in my car, but it was another rescuer in a better vehicle. Thank you for coming to our town!
So I did what any tenacious girl with stubborn parents would do. I jumped in my 4×4 Texas mom-mobile and headed to their house to drag them out while they raged.
A dear friend (I love you K!) stayed on the phone with me as I drove. She guided me to the best possible (and sometimes only possible) routes to allow me to avoid the innumerable streets that were closed due to high water or road failure. My parents are about fifteen miles from me, but it might as well have been a hundred. I weaved back and forth and backtracked repeatedly. There was water everywhere I looked. Thankfully there were military trucks, high water vehicles, and boats in abundance as well.
The raw truth is that my tenacity did not make the trip any less terrifying.
Meandering through high water on unfamiliar streets and knowing that you are deliberately driving into an area with rising water that may turn catastrophic is incredibly scary. I tend to be rather steely in a crisis, but this one had me on edge. When I arrived, I was met with angry parents who didn’t want to go. No surprise there.
My father recently had knee surgery and can’t walk well, and my mother has somehow hurt her shoulder. They have no power at that house and aren’t expected to get it back for several days. It isn’t the safest area to begin with and looters are likely to begin their hunts. The water is rising – not receding – in front of their house, and they are within tidal wave range of the dam if it blows. Naturally they would want to stay. (Argh!!! Seriously people?? Do we really have to discuss this??) Thank heavens my rabid bulldog style of encouragement worked. No surprise there either. Off we went once more to head back to my house (the house with power and without rising water).
I thanked God every single time I saw a military chopper or truck. I said a prayer of protection for all of the people I saw working to help others. They were everywhere I looked despite the incredible water levels, and we were blessed to make it home safely.
The drive to help others has been amazing across the board. The rain did not cease until mid-morning, but the shelters were already bursting at the seams with donation items and volunteers within a couple of hours.
People are doing everything they can to help those in need around them. The response inside and outside of our community is stunning. On a personal level, I can’t tell you how many people have invited us to their homes should we need a place to go. They have offered everything. Family, friends, coworkers, and total strangers – all have stood with us. It overwhelms me emotionally. I can’t adequately articulate my feelings, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is more goodness in this world that we could ever imagine.
The news should cover the beauty I have witnessed here. It is truly a spectacular sight to behold. I am captivated by your kindness and your love. I am enamored by your strength and your courage.
When I say that Texas still stands and we stand together, I am saying that Texas still stands and we stand together with you. In our greatest time of need, so many of you have served as our shelter in this physical and emotional storm. You have extended the lifeline we so desperately needed, and now we are able to continue that with you as we move to help each other.
There is no division of economic class, race, gender, sexuality, religion, or politics. We are one united people, and we are all here for each other.
Texas still stands. Thank you for standing with us. We truly stand together.
Much love to all of you. Joanna
Momentum of Joy 