Hurricane Harvey, Time Away and Stitches

Let's start with the stitches! Yep, we had our first emergency room visit!! A few days after school started, Hunter was barefoot walking on our neighbors slackline. He was alone while I was inside gathering stuff for their football practice! Then, I hear screaming and Faith Ann ran inside to tell me "mommy, there is SO much blood!" I run out to see Hunter hopping around with blood pouring out of the bottom his foot. Yes, it was that deep! Luckily, a neighbor was driving by when it happened and was able to take care of Trent and Faith Ann while I scooped up Hunter and took him to the Texas Childrens Urgent Care down the street from us!

Hunter fell off the slackline and the arch of his foot landed on the corner of the medal landscape edging! It literally took a chunk out of his foot! It was so deep that the blood was thick! Hunter was so tough. The doctor said that the ER would have anesthesia, but if she did the stitches she couldn't provide anesthesia. Well, Hunter did NOT want to go to the hospital!! So, he promised me thhat he would not move his leg during stitches!! Sure enough....that boy took it like a champ and did not move! We got home to a house full of neighbors and family checking on Hunter! I texted our pediatrician (Dr. Brack) who has become a good friend of mine. She called in antibiotics and saw us 9 days later to remove stitches.

Now...onto Hurricane Harvey! Which made me extra cautious about Hunter's open wound- I kept that foot wrapped and sealed and far away from all flood waters! So, Harvey was a doozie and did a number on Houston! History breaking rainfall and flooding! Our home thankfully stayed dry and did not flood!!! But, our neighborhoods flooded like never before! Many feet of water in the homes! I think it was over 50 inches of rain!!!!! That is crazy! The bayous overflowed and were released...homes were destroyed! Close to home...many of our friends are now displaced, along with my brother Chad who lived on Eldridge! The following days were filled with us being stranded...all roads flooded, no stores open, no gas! It was something I have never experienced before!

We took boats into our neighborhoods rather than cars! Our street stayed totally dry, so I hosted a kids bootcamp for the kids to get energy out while the parents were dealing with flooded homes! I also climbed balconies and roofs to try and collect belongings from second story homes! This is when I was glad to be ninja strong! I was able to help many friends gather what they could save! However, water sat in homes for many many days! The bacteria took over and it was hazardous. So, with school cancelled...me and the kids headed off to the JW Marriott in San Antonio!

Scott stayed home to help his clients, he was very busy at work as people were trying to deal with this crisis! Beau, Kate, Jake and Ally decided to join us. We had a great time! Lots of swimming, water slides, lunches, and playtime! It was short and sweet. I enjoyed my alone time with the kids, and really enjoyed spending alone time with Beau's family!

The kids really enjoyed tubing down the slides...we did it more times than I can count! Faith Ann has no fear and was right in the middle of it all! No one was at the resort, so we had no lines and the place to ourselves! It was amazing! A nice memory amidst all the Harvey chaos! The "new normal" around here is hard. It is messy! Lots of debris piles, lots of misplaced families, lots of stress and worry as homes are deteriorating with the sitting water! This was history that we will hear about for years to come! Houston is a great city full of giving hearts! Harvey was crummy, but Houston is so good! Our community united, and I am honored to raise my children here!!! It was a whirlwind 2 weeks!