Updates from Iowa

Sorry folks - no pictures today.  

The two week break for Faith is over and we started school today.  I always groan a little bit about doing summer school, until it starts. Then I am glad that we offer school to so many kids that would otherwise get far behind.  It really is a ministry.  We registered 33 students today, which is more than we have ever had on the first day of school!  

The flooding here is amazing, and while it hasn't reached the 1993 flood dimensions, lots of roads are closed, as well as some flooded businesses.  Our basement is a disaster (pics later!). This is the story of the girls coming home from Mexico.

Part-way home from Texas to Louisville, Arne's van lost its transmission.  They were somewhere in Mississippi I think.  Anyway, the fourteen of them decided to pack into the Suburban and drive the rest of the way home to Louisville.  After the squishy trip, the girls were supposed to fly home on Thursday night and get into Des Moines about 11.  The rain had already started earlier that day, with tornado warnings everywhere.  So, Kyrie called and said that they wouldn't be getting in until 11:30.  At about 11, Tom and I left for the airport.  The rain was torrential, and I could barely see to drive.  Water covered the roads, and was 2-3 feet deep in some areas.  Several times, we had to turn around and take another route.  Cars were persistently driving through the water and dying.  There were "dead" cars everywhere.  All to say, it took about 45 minutes to reach the airport, which normally drives in 15.  We thought we might be late, but we found that the plane had not landed yet, and in fact Kyrie called at about midnight to let us know that they had landed  . . . in Cedar Rapids!  They had circled the airport in Des Moines for 20-30 minutes and were running out of fuel.  The storm we were experiencing was a level 5 (very bad!), so they had to land elsewhere.  Anyway, they were trying to decide what to do with their passengers, and finally decided to bus them to Des Moines.  They got in at about 3:30 in the morning.  I was exhausted, so Tom went to get them.  I was going to have to work on Friday morning.  

When they got home, the girls went to bed, and then . . . knock, knock, knock.  

Mom:  Yes?

Kyrie:  Mom - there's water in the basement.

Mom:  Of course there is water in the basement.  There is water everywhere!!! I'll take care of it tomorrow.

Very long pause.  

Kyrie:  Mom

Mom: WHAT!!  (I am So nice in the middle of the night!)

Kyrie: It's ankle deep!

Yikes.  It was indeed true.  Tom and I got up and perused our sad basement, with the water that came up to our ankles.  We went to the church, at 4 in the morning and got the shop-vacs, and then came home and soaked up water for over 3 hours.  Then, I went to work.  

Saturday, we soaked up more water, but spent most of the day at our church conference on teaching catechism to our children.  It was great!

Sunday morning the basement was dry, and by Sunday afternoon, it was ankle deep again.  Oh Boy.  We emptied the basement into the garage, including the floor, and soaked up more water. 

Monday, the girls soaked up ankle deep water three times.  At least it isn't raining today.  Tomorrow, it isn't supposed to rain, but the storms are coming back on Wednesday in full force.  So, we are hopefully going to trench along the back and side of the house tomorrow, and put tiling in the ground to redirect the water away from the house.  It might help some, but what is probably really needed is a sump pump.  Very expensive.  

Water projects.  Keeping water out of an Iowa basement is a full time job!

The conference was a delightful distraction to the chaos at home.  We left the stinky basement to listen to great teaching and encouragement on teaching our children about the Lord.  Ah.  

Well, I need to study for Bible study.