...the levee came down, and the floods came up...

You've probably heard about the floods in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, last week, causing 24,000 people to evacuate their homes. Many friends have asked me if anyone in our families have been affected. My grandmother and uncle's house actually flooded up to the second story roof. They live pretty close to the Cedar River in the house that my mom grew up in.

When my aunt came to pick my grandma up last week (the water was flooding the basement), she left in her slippers because she thought she was coming right back. Little did she know she wouldn't be back for a week, and that her house would never be the same. My grandmother has been pretty upset, as anyone would, that she has literally lost everything.

No one has been able to go back to the house until today, and they found it a disaster. The garage collapsed and there is thick black mold on everything. The refrigerator even floated across the kitchen. I’m told that the smell alone in the whole area is absolutely disgusting (and Cedar Rapids already smelled bad!). Hard to imagine. The house will need to be torn down.

My uncle has been staying at a local motel, and my grandma has been living with my aunt near Cedar Rapids. Thankfully, they just found out that they do have flood insurance, which is a huge answer to prayer because they originally thought that they did not. You can be praying that they can find a new place to live and can transition smoothly.