The 1,000 Year Flood......

Life throws you curve balls......so does mother nature.......

Last week, Columbia SC had over 18 inches of rain.  I have never seen that much rain before.  It went on and on.  We checked around our house hourly.  We woke up to rain, we went to sleep to rain and woke to rain again.  We never lost power.  We did lose water.

You get creative with what you eat since you can't wash the dishes or pots and pans. PB and J becomes a staple......and anything else you can eat without real cooking.  It is funny how creative you can get....LOL.....but probably not the most easy options for my diet.......but that is small potato's (no pun intended)compared to what others have gone through.

My Mom always used to say pray specific.  I prayed for no water in the house and that's what I got......I should have said please don't let any of the flooding waters enter my house.  Oh well....lesson learned.

We were without water for a few days.  We are still on a boil water advisory.  You just don't realize how often you use water.......we have bottled water and we are getting by without much issue.  And we are very lucky and very, very blessed.

Just a few miles from my home is a neighborhood in total devastation.  I was trying to take a short cut and ended up in what I would call a true disaster area.  Home after home there were piles of wood, dry wall, furniture, windows, appliances and just about anything else.  After seeing the carnage.......I felt stupid and shallow.....I was bothered by having no water.......how about no house????

But in all the darkness I have once again seen the good in the state of South Carolina.  The people are amazing.....helping, donating, looking out for each other, first responders at the top of their game and on and on........there are so many things in which South Carolina is last.......but in it's citizens compassion......they are tops!!! Whether it be needing water or a tetanus shot or shelter......people are coming out of the woodwork to help.

The things I have noticed most......the constant sounds of sirens for several days......Chinook helicopters dropping bags of sand into the canals.......port-o-potties all over the place..........the phone waking me up to flash flood warnings......family members checking in on us......and the request for donations being answered in droves.

It has been a hard week to live in Columbia, SC but also a proud one.....once again SC has earned the praise it doesn't often get and it is well earned.

The rain has stopped and the water has started to recede so for many of us the event is over except for the minor inconvenience of boiling water........for some it will be weeks and months before their new normal life will take shape.......until that time they will have their family, friends, neighbors and fellow South Carolinian's to help them along the way........and for that I am extremely proud......