Friday, November 2nd, 6:00 pm - In an unusual burst of energy, decide to traipse through the grocery store, everyone in tow, to pick out tonight's dinner. All get shoes on and head out.
6:30 pm - In aisle 10 of 20, Kate covers her mouth, shocked and terrified, and yells, "Mommy, I broke the sink!" Respond in a bored voice, "It'll be fine, Kate. Daddy will fix it when he gets home."
6:50 pm - Wrap up the little grocery excursion, healthy meal to be fixed in hand, and head home.
7:10 pm - Open the front door of our house. Hear waterfalls. Notice water pouring out of the recessed lighting in the kitchen. Temporarily freeze. While frozen, the girls run into the front yard, screaming to our neighbors, "The house is broken! It's ruined!"
7:13 pm - Get my wits about me. Realize Kate meant that she clogged the sink and forgot to turn off the water in the upstairs sink when she confessed at the store. Send Avery upstairs to turn off sink. Find my phone. Call Jordan. "Um... hon? I really really hope you don't have to come home, but our house is flooding... can you tell me what to do?"
7:14 pm - Chase Reese out of the street. In the chaos, the front door remains open and the baby went out to play with the neighbors.
7:15 pm - Console Kate. Poor thing is in fetal position, in the middle of the rainstorm that is our kitchen, crying and terrified. "It's all my fault! Is the house ruined forever? Is it going to fall apart?"
7:18 pm - Praise Avery. She behaves like an all-star. She turns off water, sops up the standing inch or two of water in the upstairs bathroom with towels, hoists them over the edge, and comes downstairs with a calm, collected demeanor.
7:19 pm - Scrap healthy meal from grocery store. Feed the kids microwaved chicken nuggets and chips for dinner.
7:20 pm - Sop up standing water in kitchen. Start load of towels for round two of cleaning.
7:25 pm - Wonder why the wood floors sound like sponges and water seeps up between the boards... the standing water never made it out of the kitchen...
Alternate for the rest of the evening between trying to clean up, texting with Jordan regarding the state of things, sitting around relaxing because - why not? - and finally calling it a night.
Saturday, November 3rd, 3:00 am - Kate comes down stairs. Her tummy hurts. "Why, baby?" "Because I feel scared and sorry." Console Kate again. Cuddle the rest of the night.
Saturday, November 3rd, 3:00 pm - Kate marches into Nana's house: "Nana! Our house is flooded and we don't know how it happened! We don't know who did it!" Apparently she has forgiven... and forgotten... her little mishap.
The story gets less interesting from there. In summary:
Monday, November 5th - Finally get a hold of insurance. Thankful for their incredible help. Also shocked at the deductible.
Tuesday, November 6th through Friday, November 9th - Drying crew comes and leaves 15 fans, 4 dehumidifiers, and unbelievable noise. The damage is more than we suspected: every room except the master and Reese's will be somehow impacted. Wood floors torn up. Cabinets and sink relocated to the garage.
And that's where we stand. The fans and dehumidifier are gone, praise the Lord. We wait on insurance to approve the restoration amount and they're hoping work can begin the week of Thanksgiving. In the meantime, the girls are camping out in the game room, the guest bathroom is serving as our kitchen sink, and we're all sharing the master bath. It's an adventure, and at times I have to remember James 1: "Consider it joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Allow perseverance to complete its work in you, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." It's not coincidence that God had us memorizing that text this semester. It's come to mind and ministered to me more than once this week.
But also, this is such small potatoes in the grand scheme of the world. We're blessed. We have a home and an amazing support system. And that's more than 90% of the world. May we never forget that in the momentary inconveniences!
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