It feels Biblical!

Many of my long distance friends have asked if we are okay in the flooding that has happened here in our area. We are fine and our day to day life is business as usual. Nothing in our city has any problems. If our home were to flood, considering where we are located, it would be disasterous. We are on a high spot in our city, and there would be a lot of devastation before we flooded.

Now, Chehalis, WA, which is right up the freeway from us, and is on the main route to Seattle. It is a major shipping route and runs on the I-5 freeway. You can take the I-5 freeway from British Columbia to Mexico. It's been closed since Monday, with it not opening until this weekend. That is huge!

I talked to a friend who visited Seattle, and she is now trapped there. She could fly home or take Amtrak, which just opened. She only budgeted for gas money, not extras like those would be.

But what is worse. Just like most disasters, the worst news comes later. The people of Chehalis, WA, in the middle of the night this last Monday, were under four feet of water that was moving at about 3-4 knots. That is enough to whisk you away, even in your own living room. During the night, the Air National Guardsmen, reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina, were plucking people off of roof tops with fast water lapping at their feet. It was dire. Homes are gone.

Why? A levy broke in Chehalis, WA. Yes, very reminiscent of Katrina.

People in Vernonia, OR didn't have the fast moving water, just complete flood damage. The heartbreak as you watch retired people just sobbing because they have nothing now. They were living out their golden years in their homes. The folks there have made an impromptu dump in the middle of town where they are dumping all of their belongings to prevent mold. It is horrible. Homes are gone.

So we are fine. And we are counting our blessings. Others are not. If you want to help, just add the Red Cross to my list of charities. Here is a link where you can specifically give to help these folks. For those who live here, you can drop off immediate supplies at this place. Click here for that. Water, fuel, diapers, toiletries, canned food, household supplies, etc.

I can't believe what happened in just one stormy night!

Difference of a day

The flood waters are receding. The coastal towns of Oregon are not recovered by any means. But the chain saws are chopping up fallen trees, electricity is starting to be restored, as well as phone lines. The weather has stopped and recovery is good. The coast line towns really got the hit by winds and rain, mostly winds.

You might see on the news about the itty bitty town of Vernonia. They got hit hard by all this rain. That town is nestled in the woods, at the base of a valley, with a lake and river going through it. The river flooded and it's been a mess. Most of the footage on the news is out of that town. They actually got stranded without a way in our out due to the flood. No electricity, phones, fuel, water, supplies, etc. The National Guard made it in with some special equipment to rescue people from their homes in rafts. It was horrible. The waters there have really receded, and should be continuing to reach normal levels in the next day or so. Thank God! I have several friends who live there, and I haven't been able to reach.

In all of that gloomy news--we awoke to a normal Pacific Northwest morning. Thick fog. It's actually very pretty and crisp on mornings like this. I looks like a postcard. We need some picture postcard weather around here for a change.

Then I look at Kristina's blog in Minnesota! I don't miss driving in snow at all!

Gloom and Doom

If you have watched the news, the Pacific Northwest is getting pounded pretty hard with a rainstorm right now. I know, what does that really mean? I have lived here since 1991 and I hear weather forecasters say "showers today, rain tomorrow". What is the difference between the two? To this day I don't know what the distinction is.

Well, we are getting torrential rains this time. Usually it's lots and lots of just drizzly rain. Here is what I know:

1)The Christmas party I planned with my working colleagues was a bust last night because of this rain. One gal was sandbagging her parents house because they live by a creek and the creek was "kissing the back porch." Another gal couldn't get out of her driveway because the water was so high on her street.

2) It is very warm outside.

3) If you are going to Seattle from Oregon, good luck. The freeway is closed at Chehalis, WA in both directions. My friend who is a flight attendant out of Seattle is looking to have some time off, and loving it.

4) If you are in central Oregon or Washington, good luck getting to the coast. Many of the roads that take you to the coast are close, and only seem to be opening intermittently. The coastal range is getting the hardest hit with winds. Many many power lines are down and many roads with low areas have flooding. My understanding is that phone lines and cell phone towers are affected too.

I feel blessed that my home is doing just fine!

My only selfish complaint is the gloom is here. It gets so overcast and gray on days like today that it feels like evening at 7:30 in the morning, see the picture above. It's doesn't change. So for the most part....I just feel gloomy. I feel like the weather.

But I am thankful that I have power. I have my family and home. I know there are some folks who are very scared right now with flooding waters or being stranded. My prayers to them, and please think to pray for them if you can.

I need to light some candles....

Morning Greetings

This morning, before church, I have a breakfast meeting. So I am meeting the family at church. It's an extra early day for me. Remember--I am not a morning person.

I get up this morning, and get dressed right away. I didn't head to the living room in my pajamas. I walk into the living room, dressed, and here is why my two year old said:

BH: AAAGH! It's Momma! She scared me!

Pay It Forward

I mentioned this in my last post. My aunt specifically asked me to not send a Christmas gift, but instead, if we wanted to give her something to donate the money we would have used for a gift to a favorite charity. She listed several of her favorites. Luckily several of them are favorites of ours.

Today, I made a $50 donation for part of a cow to Heifer International. It will pay for a third world community to have a cow. It is amazing what one cow can do for an impoverished community. It provides nourishment, industry, fertilizer, etc.

I am hearing inklings more and more of this kind of giving this year more than any other year. I like it, and I like it a lot. I hope we can grow this idea more and more in our family in the future.

So, in light of that, I have made a list to the left of my favorite charities. I encourage you to just look at Heifer International. It is amazing what just a goat can do for a community. Again, provides gallons and gallons of milk for a community. Leftover milk is made into yogurt. Same for sheep. Milk is used and wool becomes a money making endeavor for the community.

I also listed Maranatha Ministries, the orphanage we support in Haiti. They do a great work that literally can be the difference between life and death for children there.

If anyone is up for it, I would be happy to do one of my formula drives for Maranatha this year. Typically I just ask for donations of money, baby formula coupons/vouchers, or actual formula. I gather all of that together and ship it to the director of Maranatha Ministries. It is used immediately.

Baby formula is worth it's weight in gold in Haiti. Picture this. Malnourished birthmother gives birth to a low birth weight baby. Birthmother's milk does not produce because she is malnourished. Baby formula is expensive. Birthmother's health is at risk, and baby has no way of being fed. Many times birthmother's perish in childbirth and many times, so do the babies.

If you're interested in helping with this, just post and we'll get it going. I can purchase two huge can of Costco baby formula for $20.00. That is a great price and my youngest was raised on that formula. I think it's good stuff. My gift to this is, of course, some formula and paying the cost of shipping it to Haiti, or to Florida to be taken to Haiti. They also use macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, and personal hygiene products. I like to do the formula, but won't turn anything down. Want to help?

I like the idea of giving a gift that has life changing, life giving and heart warming qualities to it.