Floods and downpours were very stressful. A big part of the stress was the sounds:
Pounding rain on the roof of our home,
Raging downpour in the ethers,
Rushing waters from the river flowing through our yard,
Thunder claps,
Alarms and weather warnings blasting out of the phone, regularly warning us not to travel,
Tantrums from Henry,
Deep sighs, attempting to breathe deep, cleansing breaths.
And the sense of isolation with what were once roads, now streams and deep rivers flowing with tree branches, cars, and debris.
Each hour played out with new awarenesses: rising waters, road closures, the eventual roof leaking from the intense, unrelenting rains on the patio roof, and then we put buckets out to catch the drips, only to witness the overflow of a pool (with drainage that had nowhere to drain) and the water rushing into our indoor-outdoor patio.
It wasn’t a clean stop. It did downpour for shorter bursts throughout the night, but by morning we were back to having roads to drive, a soggy backyard, no lake or river any longer, and a wet patio but no standing water. People wanted to get back to normal. You could feel the relief and also the quiet caution. I observed how an individual, likely stressed with a flooded brain from the trauma, smashed and totaled his car right in front of my eyes after I had just dropped Henry at playschool Friday morning. The fences along Hwy. 46, many downed from all the tree branches shoved off the road, and a rushing river where a usual creek would be pretty dried up during the summer season. There was also talk and concern for the Guadalupe River just north, and the riverbed was higher than last year, where the children died in the terrible flash flood.
A miracle. Truly no deaths here in Boerne, with one death attributed to this storm in a town north. There were 36 water rescues and over 100 emergency calls for help, all answered beautifully. We met a state trooper yesterday at a local restaurant. He said the area is flooded with volunteers for the law enforcement departments. He came from Houston. Everyone was concerned and wanted to help. Many lost their homes and vehicles, and rebuilding has already started as the community comes together in solidarity.
I recounted the traumas, but let us not forget the joys. Henry and I got 3 days at Jellystone Park in Canyon Lake, Texas. Henry was the happiest little guy ever with a big water slide, Boo Boo the Bear wandering around giving hugs and high fives, crafts, playmates, and lots of joy! We ate ice cream cones and junk food, played and laughed, rode the Hay Ride each night, and made some lovely new friends. He had asked me numerous times for a camping trip, and although not in a tent, we were in a tiny cabin, not much room to move, and it did the trick. He loved it!