dancing in the minefields: Hurricane Harvey, my story

A year has passed since Hurricane Harvey ravaged our little part of the country. For a solid week, this monster of a storm made land fall leaving destruction in his wake...only to dip back in the gulf, regain strength and water, and come back a little further up the coast. He completely wrecked the entire Texas coast. It was (and still is) absolutely unbelievable. I never sat down and wrote out my personal account of the storm, so I thought this might be a good time to remember.

First of all, let me paint a little picture. We had moved from Lumberton to Orangefield August 18-19 and then closed on our new house on Tuesday, August 22 (they graciously let us move in early so we could move over the weekend--plus we were originally supposed to close earlier). As good southerners do during May to September, we were keeping an eye on the weather and discovered good ole Hurricane Harvey was making his way into the Gulf and gaining strength. At the time, he was predicted to hit between Corpus and Houston, so we weren't too worried about it. But since (as adults) we had been through a direct hit from Rita and Ike, we knew better than to take him off our radar.

That Thursday after closing, I brought the kids to Bella's school for Running Start. She was starting Kindergarten and we were so excited to see her classroom, unload her supplies, walk around the school, and meet her teacher. We were all set for school to start Monday morning!

...this was the only time she got to go to this classroom...

However, by that time, Harvey was about to hit Corpus and was predicted to travel up the coast our way a bit before dying down. Hunter and I talked a lot that night and decided that the kids and I would go ahead and evacuate just to be cautious. We weren't worried about too much, but we also didn't want to be stuck with the kids with no electricity or impassable roads (in our heads, due to trees) or any other discomfort even small hurricanes can tend to bring. So Friday morning (mine and Hunter's 10th wedding anniversary...), the kids and I loaded up and headed to our friends' house in Alexandria, LA.

We only stayed there one night because Harvey had hit Rockport, just up the coast from Corpus, that night (the 25th) and we had barely a breeze or sprinkle at home. I really just wanted to be home with my husband in our new house and figuring this out together. At worst, we expected to get some bad thunder storms the next week, but nothing we couldn't manage. After all, that's what all the other storms we knew had done--make landfall and then progress north up the country losing momentum, bringing some bad weather, but nothing extreme. {Well, Harvey didn't play by the rules...} So the kids and I headed back home Saturday night.

These couple of days/nights run together. We stayed up either Saturday night or Sunday night watching Harvey reek havoc on Houston (the 26th/27th). Our power was getting spotty so we got the generators going for the fridge and our phone chargers (Hunter had gone the week before and scavenged the city of Beaumont for generators...we bought the last two he could find anywhere). We were texting his brother in Houston quite a bit. He was safe and dry in his house (after having to get a ride down a flooded street from a buddy with some type of big truck). Some other friends of ours over there had flooded, but they were out of town, so at least we knew they were ok. We watched reports and pictures coming through of streets and highways we'd driven many times completely flooded...we just couldn't believe it. However, we still thought he'd fizzle out and we'd be ok.

By Monday, we were getting a lot of rain. School was cancelled (it was supposed to start that day) and Hunter was told he could work from home. Mind you, at that time, Landry was 9 months old. Hunter went to town for formula (we only had a two day supply and I needed more than that to feel ok with hunkering down to weather the weather). He called me and told me his truck had messed up and he was parked under an overpass. I still needed formula...so the kids and I loaded up and went to meet him (brought him breakfast--nasty gas station donuts :( ), he called our insurance agent and a tow truck. It was going to take a while for the truck to get to us because there were already several cars needed to be pulled off of flooded streets (don't drive through water if you can't see the road!). So the kids and I drove to the closest Walgreens in Vidor to grab the formula. It was pouring there. The exit I needed to take was already closed so I had to pass it up and come back around. The road was holding water on the sides and the rain was still coming. I parked and ran into Walgreens (no way was I getting the kids out) and bought every bottle of formula they had....which was 8. Like a drowned rat, I made it back to the car and we started the trek back to Hunter. This is where I started to get a little scared...the frontage roads were ok for the most part (some water on the edges but not completely covered). However, every single turnaround under the overpasses I passed were completely flooded. I was really getting worried that I was going to get stuck going to Beaumont and not be able to get turned around going the right way home... Luckily, the very last turnaround before the bridge into Beaumont was open enough for my van to make it through, and we hopped back on that interstate as quick as we could.

Tow truck came, I got real donuts from the stand down the street, and we came home for a family nap. I think this is the day/night that we lost power (but it might have been Sunday night). Anyway, we made it through the night ok and still didn't expect to get much more than a thunderstorm...

We woke up Tuesday morning, August 29th and decided that if we were going to be stuck inside for a couple of days waiting out the weather, we wanted good food...specifically gumbo. So Hunter stayed home with the kids, and I ran up to Market Basket in Bridge City (just up the highway from our house). It was raining, but not insanely; just steady. I noticed on the way that the water was over the shoulders of the road, but the road was absolutely drivable. I spent about 45 minutes in the store (with SO many other people gathering last minute food!) and got stuff to make several good comfort meals. When I left, I stopped at the gas station on the corner to get a new bottle of propane...that's when I noticed that the intersection I had just driven through an hour earlier, was completely covered in water now. Again a drowned rat, I got the propane and got back in my car to drive home. And now, the right lane in both directions was covered in water... Again, an hour after I had just driven the same road.

I got home and unloaded the groceries; Hunter was on the phone (with his cousin and my dad who were at work in refineries in Sulphur). We finished about the same time and he asked me how the roads were. When I told him how quickly they were coming up, compounded with all of the shut down procedures the Sulphur plants were starting, he knew I had to go. So he just looked at me and said, "Angie, you and the kids have to leave. Like right now." Let me remind you that we had been living in this house for a week and a half. And we had already evacuated and come home once. I didn't want to. But I knew he was right. He called our neighbors in Lumberton--we still owned that house and our renters weren't moved in yet, so we thought I could evacuate there and stay close. She told us that the highway into Lumberton was already completely flooded and closed. THIS set us in gear big time. Absolutely unbelievable.

So through tears (I'm sitting here crying again just remembering how that day felt), we threw as much as we could into bags. He emptied the fridge and freezers into an ice chest for me to take (if our house did flood, we did not want to have to deal with the smell and nastiness of that); I grabbed clothes for me and the kids by the handfuls, not even paying attention to what I had (except I was sure to grab my LLR, haha! It's nice and it's comfortable and it's what I wanted). He put all of his guns in my van and I grabbed my shutter fly books and the pictures I could find--remember...most of our stuff was still in boxes.

And that was it. In 15 minutes, I was loaded in the car with my kids heading to my parents house in Moss Bluff, LA (at least for that day. I was honestly expecting to have to leave there too and head further north)... I was leaving my husband and my new home, completely not knowing what was going to happen. I was an absolute mess. Hunter swore to me that he would leave if it got bad...he was loading the truck with his tools as soon as I left, getting ready to go if he had to. And if worse came to worst, he had the boat (except the little aluminum boat he needed wasn't running...and neither was the Bronco...of course, when we need them!) Anyway. We hugged and kissed like we never have before, and I drove away. Sobbing my eyes out.

We live down a highway that's about 6 miles from the interstate. I called Hunter about 3/4 of the way down and begged with him to leave now. I had already driven over three places where the road was completely covered; and I had just passed people doing boat rescues (and the worst part of the storm hadn't even reached us yet). He assured me again that he'd be fine and that I just needed to go, quickly, but safely. That drive on I-10 between my house and the state line was the eeriest drive I have ever made in my life. I did not see a SINGLE car going the same way I was. I did however pass military vehicles and Entergy trucks--more than I could count--going the opposite way, toward Houston and Corpus and everything in between. But I felt like I was going to the wrong way or was going to get stuck or was driving into absolute danger because I was completely alone. And then my mind started wondering how long it would take someone to find us and help us if something did happen. The road was drivable, but the rain was so thick and I definitely hydroplaned several times. And I was crying uncontrollably. (My kids however were the quietest they've ever been in their whole little lives. I can't imagine what this whole scenario was like through their lenses. And they definitely picked up on mine and Hunter's fear and emotions. Bless their hearts.)

Once I passed the state line, it was like an invisible barrier had lifted. The rain slacked off, traffic reappeared, and my emotions calmed down a smidge. I made it to my parents' house, poured myself out of my car, and set up camp in front of the weather channel. Thankfully, my sister and her family had decided to stay there that night as well, so my kids were so happy to play with their cousins. And between my mom and sister, I didn't have to do much with my kids. I stayed in contact with Hunter pretty regularly...he stayed home the whole time. The last time I remember texting with him, he responded that the water in the front yard was about 6 inches away from the corner of the house (the kids' room) and it was rushing over our driveway/RV slab like a river.

I told my niece I'd stay up with her and watch our next Harry Potter movie (we watched them all together) since I'd be staying up all night worrying anyway. Well, the good Lord intervened so graciously. About 30 minutes into the movie, I was sound asleep (according to Aby, haha). She woke me up when it was over, I apologized, and curled in my bed right back to sleep. I have no clue how I was able to sleep aside from divine intervention.

I woke up the next morning around 7 and immediately reached for my phone. I was mortified that I had slept through the night while my husband was home alone during a hurricane (technically tropical storm by this point). The first text message I read was from my sister in Kansas City, Missouri. "Half of Kansas City was up last night praying for your boy and your home." I completely lost it. I immediately called Hunter to get the details and see how he was doing.

Highway 105 and 1442 intersection (Bella's school {all three campuses} is down this road)

Miraculously our house didn't not get any water in it (and we never lost power! But we did lose sewer). We had a tree fall on the fence, but it just barely knocked the roof of the carport, thank Jesus.

The front half our street drains to the bayou, which is what overflowed, so he assumed most of those had water in them. However, the back half of our street drains straight to the marsh (through our ditch beside our house) and the water kept moving all night. He could give you a much better idea of what that night was like. It was terrifying and loud and the rain was relentless. I can't even imagine; and I still struggle with the fact that I wasn't there for him during that. (even though again he assured me it was ok and he was glad I slept so I could take care of the kids). He tried to leave in his truck that day, but our neighborhood road and the highway it meets were all under water and impassable. So he went and talked to several neighbors, scoped out the situation, and jumped in a boat with one to go rescue people (which was also terrifying for me, but I would have expected no less from him. That's who he is).

Here's a link to the actual article attached in that picture. It's a great one. I'm beyond grateful for my outdoorsmen and every single one of them that stepped up that week.

We had no idea when I would be able to get home because literally every single road that could get me anywhere close to home was flooded...the interstate was even shut down. So I sat helpless in Moss Bluff, frantically texting all of my people and getting status checks. Several had been boat rescued; several houses had flooded; several were ok but stranded (Silsbee and Lumberton were literal islands; and no one in SETX could even get to the next town over...there was water everywhere). The Cajun Navy again unleashed like a pack of bloodhounds (they had done this as well when Baton Rouge flooded the year before) and I just sobbed every single time I saw (in person or on Facebook) a truck full of guys hauling a boat heading toward my home.