Water, Water, Everywhere

Well I say we have a mini Grand Forks going here. Lots of people, including all of Old Town that is evacuated and now housed by Red Cross at the High School, would agree with me.

It seems that the area had a hail storm and about 1/2 inch of rain in a short amount of time on ice and snow. It took me 4 hours to get home yesterday; it normally takes only 2. I know things were going bad when Nolan called me and told me to get home immeditely. It seems the water was coming over the road at the intersection of 83 and 13. The alernate route was also under water. I got between Hazelton and Linton, and I got another call that 83 was shut down. OK, so I went back to Hazelton and decided to go east on 34, and come around from the south. So I was on my merry way and got just east of Hazelton, and the water was pouring over the road there also. Meanwhile and car had gone off the road in Linton, into the water and the passengers had to be rescued, and the water in Old town was rapidly rising. OK, so I turned around and headed back to Sterling to regroup. When I got to Sterling I called home, to Nolan, who was out with the Fire Dept. redirecting traffic by the Assembly of GOD. He told me to go east to Dawson, into Napoleon then come on 13 into Linton, if 13 was still open. Mind you I didn't panic. I had food, a full tank of gas, my cell phone car charger with me, but I really wanted to see my baby and my husband. All was well, and I sped down through Napoleon, and got on 13, praying that the road was still open, all the while thinking who I could call to stay with, so I wouldn't have to go back to Bismarck. i was very thankful, it was just me, and not Karady. Never did I dream I wouldn't be able to get into town. I found out later just as I had gone through Napoleon, a dyke had broken and the town started flodding.

On 13 the water was rushing everywhere. There were islands with horses and cows stranded. Places that are normally pastures, were full of water everywhere. So I made it home and unloaded so I could go get Karady. I had to go around baracades and explain where I was going for them to let me through. I parked at the butcher shop and crossed behind it through the mud over to Sannes to get Karady. The view from there was pretty dismall. You could see the water and ice pouring over the junction, and the water was up to the bottom of the hill. Sandbag fillers couldn't keep up with the demand for sandbags either. I wish I could have gone to help.

It seems poor Karady didn't even recognize me. She had a sitter all day Saturday, and on Sunday, when Nolan left in a hurry he had Terra come over, and she screamed bloody murder for her, since she has such stranger anxiety. Luckily, Tammi and Paul had seen Nolan in the fire truck and went to check on her, since they knew I wasn't home yet. They went to rescue her and took her back to their house.

I took Nolan and Travis food from Sannes, since they were stuck on the corner for the duration. Then I headed home to listen to the scanner. Karady had fallen asleep in the car seat, and I put her to bed, poor thing.

Volk's just south of town had to be evacuated by boat from their home, how scary. The water is rushing very quickly, and it is very dangerous. Many more people called in for help to evacuate, and one house had smoke coming from it. They eventually had 83 shut down from Sterling to SD border. The red cross was called in , and residents without homes are staying at the high school. I will post pics later when I get them downloaded. I am very happy we live up high. The National Guard was also called and I believe they are coming to help today. Nolan came in at 2:30, and is out now standing by in the rig somewhere. There is a house in old town that the water is up to the ceiling in the basement, and is now coming in on the main floor. Old Town has never flooded this bad before. 83 is still closed south of town, but open to the north, and it seems the water is going down. But south the water is still rising. If you can help, please do. I can help by praying for the people who's homes are flooded and that all rescuers stay safe.

I had a wonderful weekend scrapbooking at JJ's Lodge. I spent the weekend with my mom, and got 29 pages done. I missed my LuLu terribly. I wanted to watch Linton win the State B, but they didn't get local channels there, so Nolan texted me with updates. I feel bad that their celebration and glory is clouded by the flood. I know quite a few families attending the games couldn't even get to their homes to celebrate. Congratulaitons boys. What an accomplishment.

I seen on the TV they are calling for immediate evacuation of old town, and I know Nolan is helping with the rescue efforts out of town at farms. Most are being evacuated by boat. I can't image what they must be going through. Pray for them.