Beautiful weather- Ugly mess

Today they opened up the Coralville strip (the main drag here in Coralville). I drove down the strip today after church. I can't believe the devistation! I didn't take pictures, Phil wasn't with me and I had my kiddies, and I was totally shocked. I knew the water was high and it would be dirty but it was horrible to see it. They had big dumpsters outside my little scrapbook store that were filled to the brim and nothing inside the store that I could see. At one of the little Mexican restaurants that we ate at a few weeks ago was a big pile of tables and booths piled high. A girl, about 14 years old with a mask on her face was carring something out of the restaurant and a man was putting a framed picture into his truck, probably one of a few things that wasn't ruined. Some of the big stores like Walgreens, had the big professional cleaning trucks outside and on the sign of Sonic read "Gone fishin' be back soon". A little humor amid dirty streets and sidewalks. The big new softball complex was still covered with high water and most of the side streets are still not open. Law offices, banks, carpet stores, furniture stores, restaurants, motels, all with the dirty mark of flood on the outside of their buildings. I hope these people are able to salvage something and I wish there was something I could do to help.


I have felt so bad doing anything fun since all of this flooding started. I might sound silly, but this has really struck a chord with me even though I didn't have any water in my house. Phil got home before 6pm one day last week- unheard of, right! So we decided to take a walk to the park. The girls decided to take their bikes which they never take off our driveway (we are on a hill, thank heavens). It was very good practice for them and we had a blast at the park.

McKell is obsessed with the monkey bars (not like Alexa, wink, wink, Kasey) and dares to even let go and fall to the ground most of the time. Alyssa is always flipping around showing her gymnastic skills
and Nate is happy doing anything outside.


On the way home the girls chased rabbits, can you see in the picture all of the rabbits on the grass. (Click on pictures to enlarge them.)


Michelle and Trey (Phil's sister and her hubby) and their friends came through Iowa on Wednesday and stayed with us. It was so fun to see them and the kids had a blast. I am so happy when they remember family and aren't shy with them. Nate was loving Michelle and went right up to her. McKell was obsessed with Michelle and followed her around everywhere and Alyssa was glad to provide Trey with some comic relief. While they were here we walked down by the water, this is an intersection Phil usually takes to work. The main street that goes across is now free of water (Coralville strip) but the street we are standing on isn't, they have been pumping water since Wednesday I guess. There were a ton of mosquitos and it smelled bad and we of course didn't touch it, but it was crazy to see close up.