Here is my crazy husband, up a tree, with a chain saw. I had to threaten someone to turn the picture over to me. You can assume I was NOT present for this little situation. After I found out about it, the kids asked me why I was not happy with Matt. He told them it was cause he climbed a tree. I waited for the rest of it. The kids told me that wasn't so bad. So, I had to add the rest of the story...with a chainsaw. Then they weren't happy with him either. But, we are happy he is so willing to help people. And, yes, he has a lot of experience with his chainsaw and relief efforts.

Further Aftermath

These pictures were taken Monday. The water is receding nicely. Might was well be nice after all it did here!

Spent the day yesterday helping in a house that got about 18" of water inside the house. The older couple didn't really think it would come into their house and didn't realize they were in any danger until the National Guard evacuated them Sunday afternoon. So much damage. And so much stinky smell. The whole city smells terrible right now. I told Matt the smell would NEVER go away. He asked me if I could smell the terrible smell in Rexburg when I moved there a year after the Teton Dam Flood. I told him if I had lived through it I would still be able to smell it. He doesn't always follow my logic. But that is ok. He loves me :)

Yesterday, these big trucks were going up and down the streets collecting anything and everything that people put out on their curb.

It was a huge help to us as we needed SO much stuff hauled away. But it was so heart breaking at the same time. I think it is easier for those of us, not the owners, to get the stuff thrown out. Monday, when we were helping people, they were in total shock at some of the damage. When we started the day, we would walk up and ask people if we could help them. About an hour into the day, we had switched to telling them what we were going to do. Only one person was a little concerned that she had just been helped by the Mormons! Too funny. The Mormons will be back out from 6-9 tonight. If you need help, just give us a holler!!!

For the rest of the school year, the kids at Luke's school have to have recess on a small section of the front parking lot. They won't be able to get the toys cleaned well enough before school ends. He was a good sport and he said it was kind of fun. He is excited to go back out tonight and help.

I just finished mowing the lawn. Now it is off to the grocery store. I guess the family needs to eat some homemade meals sometime this week. Thanx for your prayers and thanx for checking on us. It means a lot.

Evidence of Franklin Flooding

Ok. Here it is folks. Proof of the stressful hours and days we have had. Again, our family stayed completely dry inside our home. Some of our neighbors, friends and schools didn't get so lucky.

When we woke up today, the sun was shining and the birds were singing. After the past 48 hours of stress we have had, I thought the birds were mocking us. But, Matt won't buy me a any sort of gun to encourage them to be quiet!

Saturday--Day 1

We ran to Home Depot to look at blinds and pick up a drain for one of our down spouts. We had NO idea what we were in for or we would have never left the house.

The above two pictures are of the tunnel by Walgreens on Saturday afternoon.

Below is Monday evening.

Sunday--Day 2

This day church was cancelled. We had hours and hours of watching the rain and watching the radar. We also watched some of the Monk I haven't shipped back to my sister. I was so thankful we had them! We got a call in the early afternoon that school was cancelled.

Monday--The Clean-up Begins

Those of you have been thru flooding like this know that a camera cannot capture the devastation it causes. We spent four hours helping strangers clear out their garages. Many people saw what was coming and moved stuff out of their garages and off the bottom level. Others were out of town and were left with thousands and thousands of dollars worth of damage. Some items are irreplaceable.

Above is a view of a tunnel back in September.

Below is a picture taken Monday evening.

Above is last September.

Below is Monday night of the exact same path.

Below are pictures of Luke's school. Oh, yeah. We just got a call...Field Day is cancelled tomorrow. Ya think? Why not just change it to water activities? We have school tomorrow. How in the world can they guantee that a child won't slip away and drown?

Below is Kat crossing some red tape...the first of her life!

The water was ABOVE the basket ball standards last night.

The playground at Luke's school.

Below is the top of the swings at Luke's school.

Today was a very long day. Physically and emotionally exhausting. It will take Franklin days and months to recover. The smell alone will take that long to get out of my nose.

Franklin Flooding

This past weekend, our little state has received unprecedented amounts of rainfall. I am sure other places of TN have received more rain than we have in Franklin, but ours seems so much worse because it is our little town. Families mere streets away are being evacuated by the National Guard and local emergency crews. Friends a half a block away have 6 inches of water in their garage. So far, we are dry inside. The river is expected to crest Tuesday morning. If the radar is to be believed, the worst is over. But, there is the clean-up of it all.

To see some crazy pictures, go to The Tennessean and search the flood photos. We live in Fieldstone Farms in Franklin, TN.

We are off to bed. No school tomorrow due to the fact that 35 street in Franklin are closed. We have a canoe. I thought the kids could get to school that way.