WOWZERS!

We have been enduring rain, rain, and more rain this spring. Our winter was filled with snow, snow, and more snow. Which brings a very humid atmosphere and lots of vegetation. Wednesday morning McKell said her head hurt and I rubbed it and felt something on it. I looked and saw a bug attached to her head. I immediately thought of a tick but it was too big for that so I grabbed a tissue and pulled and twisted and pulled and finally got it off. I decided to keep it so someone could look at it and tell us what it was. I thought it was dead, but then saw it wasn't and put it in a container. I then figured out it was a tick.
Phil was at work and was worried about her getting a disease so after an entire morning filled with calls, Internet searches, and looking at the horrid little creature we realized 4 things. First it was a huge tick, second doctors in Iowa don't do anything for tick bites, third we think it must have come from our yard, and forth I hate little creatures and can't stop thinking about it and feeling ghost bugs all over me.
During this whole week we have been dealing with weather related warnings and watches all day and night. I counted one night and we had 5 different warnings- flood, tornado, thunder storm, areal flood (whatever that means), flash flood. Then the waters started to rise. Sunday at church all the men went to help a family make sand bags to help save their house. They had so many volunteers helping that during church all the women made over 500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to hand out to the volunteers. Since then I'm sure you have heard of all the horrible flooding. I have been glued to the news hearing about all the devastation. Coralville and Iowa City hasn't even seen the worst of it, it will be at the peak here on Tuesday or Wednesday. Last night (Thursday) I was driving home and the lightening was out of control! I didn't even need my lights on it was so bright. I was really scared for the girls and I. We made it home, with white knuckles, then the power went out. Luckily it was only for a few hours. Our bishop sent out an email that advised us to have a couple weeks of food and water on hand and to keep our cars filled with gas. I had gone the night before to get some gallons of water and was able to get the last ones at the store. It is pretty crazy stuff. Seeing the water in Cedar Rapids, about 20 minutes away, up to the roofs in some areas puts me speechless.
Here are a few pictures of Coralville, down the street from us. We were so excited when we finally got a Sonic close to us. I took McKell and her friends here after school on her last day of school for a treat, it is really close to McKell's school.
I can't believe these pictures- my scrapbook store I go to.Our house is on a hill in the opposite direction from the river so we should be fine. Here is a picture of a park here in Iowa City (Ben and Janae, the one we went to with you guys), these are of the baseball fields. So you have got to realize the water is suppose to rise everyday and 'crest' (get the highest) on Tuesday/Wednesday- 4-5 more days of getting higher and higher. I am sick about it all. Sorry, I just reread my post and it is pretty much rambling, but I really can't focus my thoughts in any organized manor these days. Did I mention I am headed to Girls camp on Wednesday!