Last Monday at this time, we had no clue what the following days were going to bring.
Catastrophic flooding. Cat 4 winds. No home to return to. The predictions were so dire I could hardly wrap my mind around them.
I shed more than a few tears over those long and harrowing hours, talking to Steve about it, trying to decipher what was going to happen, trying to decide whether or not we should leave.
When the mandatory evacuation order finally came and we were packing to go, I texted Sarah to ask if there were any special items in her room she wanted us to take with us. Now that’s a text you don’t love having to send.
Here answer was for us to please get her Boxes of Me. Her Boxes of Me are two medium-sized boxes in her room that hold all of her precious papers, mementos, cards, special notes, school work, ticket stubs, etc. I ran upstairs and grabbed them both, looking at all of the other beloved things in her room as I did so.
When evacuating, it’s interesting the things your mind turns to as far as what needs to be taken along. Of course, we took our important papers, both computers, and our cameras. I grabbed a bin of special pictures and also took a couple of necklaces that Steve has given me over the years. I love all my necklaces from thrift stores; however, those could fly with the wind and I wouldn’t mind too much. I definitely wanted to have something that Steve had given me.
We have never evacuated before under such severe warnings and it’s an experience I don’t care to repeat again. I know that it’s just a house and that all the items inside are just “things.” However, that house holds so many memories. The dining room table has hosted birthday parties, Dare Challenge Thanksgiving meals, get togethers with church friends and family, new members dinners, potlucks, parties, senior citizen meals, and dinners for missionaries from many countries. Every single item I looked at as I walked out the front door had memories written on it; it seems like the very air was filled with stories and laughter and experiences I never wanted to lose.
Walking out, looking back, not knowing what to expect.
And now, a week later? We have returned to a home completely untouched by the storm.
And yet just an hour away, whole towns are flooded. I posted recently about taking a country drive to Englehard.
This is what the town looks like now.
Across the state, lengths of freeways and numerous roads are shut down because of water. Charlotte, where we just left, has experienced massive flooding this weekend. Fellow pastors across North and South Carolina have had severe damage to their homes and churches.
A hurricane decided to shift itself a few miles south and suddenly life changed for hundreds of thousands of people–for the better for us, and for the worse for others. We are pretty much emotionally spent from the roller coaster ride of the week–grateful to have been spared but saddened because of the ones who weren’t.
In the midst of all the trauma, we were blessed to have a place to go, blessed to spend our 4-day exodus with people we love.
Steve and his mom hamming it up a little . . .
which delighted his dad who is always ready to laugh at any shenanigans that happen to crop up.
Vernie enjoyed sitting on the front porch walking Steve walk both dogs.
She has never been afraid of technology, which I really admire. She has a smart TV, a smart phone, and a tablet and she uses them all.
One thing that most of you probably don’t know is that almost exactly twenty-nine years ago, we took refuge at Ken and Vernie’s during another hurricane–Hurricane Hugo. The only thing that was different about that visit was that I had just given birth to our first child, a certain little fella named Nathan. We went to Ken and Vernie’s from the hospital on September 20, and on September 22, Hugo hit. Here is an excerpt about it from The Charlotte Observer:
Hugo slammed into the coast around Charleston, S.C., with 135-mph winds shortly before midnight on Sept. 21, 1989. During the early hours of the next morning, it churned its way inland to Charlotte, where it popped windows from skyscrapers and toppled 4,800 trees along city streets.
Let me just say I don’t really recommend becoming a first-time mom right before going through a hurricane and a 10-day power outage. There’s a whole story to be told about that particular chapter but I won’t go into now. Suffice it to say it was a challenging time.
But in the midst of the challenges, it was truly a joyful day when that sweet son of ours made his first noisy appearance into our lives. Steve likes to say we had a himicane on the 18th and a hurricane on the 22nd. Tomorrow is Nathan’s 29th birthday; we are so grateful to have had him in our lives for almost three decades. Love you, Son!
Last Friday morning, we got word that the bridges would open back up to residents of the Outer Banks at 7 a.m. Saturday. Since we had a lot of work to do before the Sunday service, we knew we couldn’t wait till Saturday morning to make the 7-hour trip. Our plan was to leave Friday afternoon and get a hotel as close as we could which would probably be about 90 minutes out. But then it occurred to us that all the hotels in the area were going to be slammed because the evacuees would still be in them. We just decided we would leave anyway and sleep in the car if we had to.
And so we said our goodbyes to this lovely home inhabited by its lovely people.
The roads were just about deserted, even going through Raleigh at rush hour. That made traveling easy except for the fact that most of the restaurants and businesses were closed due to the weather and the evacuations.
I had called ahead to try to find a room and actually found a Holiday Inn which had two vacancies, one of which was taken while we were on the phone. I very gratefully booked the last room remaining, relieved to know that during the evacuation they were allowing pets to stay; they had also lowered their rates rather than raise them, as some hotels were doing. (Shout out to the Holiday Inn Express in Plymouth, NC.)
As we pulled up to the hotel, bone tired and ready for bed, we were rather alarmed when all of the lights suddenly went out. Electricity or no electricity, we checked in anyway. A king bed with no electricity was better than the front seat of a car with no electricity. Our flashlights, packed for hurricane use, came in handy. (I read that if you point a flashlight at a mirror, it gives more light.)
Two hours after check in, the lights came back on. Hooray and hallelujah.
There are only two routes to get to the Outer Banks which can, at times, mean heavy traffic We weren’t sure how long it would take us to get home since we had heard that the route coming in from Virginia was crowded. If you look at the time stamp, this is the line that was waiting at 7 a.m., the exact moment when the bridge was supposed to open. (The reason for the checkpoint was that only residents and business owners were allowed to re-enter. Visitors had to wait until the following day.)
Happily when we got to our checkpoint (coming in from the west) there was just ONE car in front of us. One
We made our way over the bridge and were finally home.
Home.
Isn’t it such a lovely word? So often we look around our houses and only see those things that need to be fixed, cleaned, repaired or upgraded. No home is perfect.
But just to have a place to put up our feet, brew our tea, hang up our bathrobe, and lay our heads to rest . . . it becomes a perfectly precious place, especially in light of all the people who have lost their homes this week.
It could so easily have been us. And that is a sobering thing to contemplate. It makes it all the sweeter to sit in my easy chair this morning, look around at all the familiar things surrounding me, and breathe a prayer of thanksgiving.
Peace. Home. Safety. Perfectly precious, indeed.
Edited to add: I’ve had a few comments asking about how Sarah did in Virginia.
She stayed in the evacuation housing there at the University for about 48 hours but fortunately, Virginia Beach didn’t get the really bad weather they were expecting. Sarah got to know 50 other students she wouldn’t have known otherwise as they ate, talked, played piano and played games together. So that aspect of the storm turned out to be a positive thing for her.
She was very glad to get back to the privacy and quiet of her own apartment though, when the evacuation was over. Thankful for safety for our gal!
Happy Birthing day mama! So gald you were able to get thru the storm unscathed. I watch the news reports about the flooding in the Carolinas and I can’t really process the large scale. It seems so overwhelming. So many families and pets. Oh, the pet stories, so awful. Sarah did well with the chaos, it seems. Yay!
Lesley,
Nice to be wished a happy birthday day! 🙂
Large scale flooding and trauma in the Carolinas is a good way to put it. We heard recently on the news that if it had hit just 50 miles further north, it would have been us. Hard to grasp.
So happy to read this update and see the pictures of your beautiful house unscathed. It must have been such a difficult decision to make on what to bring and what to leave and glad to see that even though you made the decision it didn’t matter in the end as everything was good.
Mel,
Yeah, I hope I never have to make that “what to leave/what to take” decision again. Definitely stressful!
But as you said, it didn’t matter in the end . . . thankfully.
I’m sure that all your friends and readers were concerned about your safety traveling to and from Charlotte, and what you would find when you returned. Your words and pictures were reassuring. An early Thanksgiving, for us, indeed.
Fred,
Yes, many days of thanksgivings for us! I know you guys are relieved to have missed out on the worst of it, as well.
So glad to hear that you all are safely home and had no damage! Your post has made me so grateful for our home and thankful that the hurricane didn’t affect us in Alabama this time. I hope the storm rains itself out soon and that everyone can get back to their lives and homes soon!
Gayle,
I will never take my house for granted again. Just like you . . . I am so, so grateful.
Have been praying for you and Steve since you evacuated. So thankful that your home and church did not suffer any damage. With your physical “difficulties” I know the stress was not helpful at all in your situation, but God is faithful to you during this time, and now you can relax.
Sharyn,
Yes, stress doesn’t do a whole lot of good for my physical ailments but unfortunately, stress is kind of a part of life!
Thanks for your prayers and for your thanksgivings on our behalf.
I’ve thought of your family often this past week. I’m so glad your home was spared.
I also often thought of Hurricane Hugo during this storm. I remember it very well. I was living in the Atlanta area and working for GTE Supply (remember them…I guess that is another thing that makes me old) We worked closely with our “partner” company GTE Southeast in Sumter SC and I heard stories first had accounts from some of the ladies I often worked with. I still have my sweatshirt our warehouse supervisor had made for everyone after all the work of restoring telecommunications was accomplished- it says “GTE Supply – We Took the Wind our of Hugo”.
I pray that Steve parents are spared any damage in the storm’s aftermath. Sending hugs to all of you…
Sue Ellen,
I love the sweatshirt your supervisor designed. It was nice for all of you to have something to smile about together when everything was over.
Hugo was a doozie! Anyone affected by it will never forget it!
Becky dear,
I’ve been following your sudden “vacation” trip with much love and prayers.
Thank the Lord for Ken and Vernie. So glad for your joyful return home! Thankful Sarah is ok too.
Much love,
Mom
Mom,
How fun to see YOUR name pop up here. Hooray!!
A sudden vacation is a good way to describe our trip to Charlotte. Definitely a vacation we wish we hadn’t had to take.
Lots to be thankful for. Love you!
Thankful with you. Love to all the Smiths! ♡. -Deb
Deb,
And the Smiths love all the Mantiks! (and mom) 🙂
Happy birthday to Nathan! Glad to hear that Sarah met some new friends and also that she is back at her apartment.
Also glad to hear that your house was spared any damage. It is heartbreaking to see all the pictures of roads washed out, towns flooded, etc. You just never know whether to evacuate or not but it’s wise to err on the side of caution when hurricanes are concerned.
Phyllis,
Yes, erring on the side of caution is definitely the thing to do. I’d much rather over react than under react! And you’re right–it is SO heartbreaking to see those pictures and know how much is being lost.
I’m so happy and relieved that you guys and your home survived hurricane madness! How did Sarah do in VA?
Guerrina,
She did well. I added a little P.S. at the end of the post.
So happy to read that you are safe and your home is all ok. But, yes, sad that others are not. How nice to be able to spend the time with your in-laws too! Safe havens!
Wendy,
Yes, it was sa afe haven until the day after we left and then THEY got slammed with winds, flooding and power outages. That storm seeemed to have its tentacles everywhere! Steve’s parent’s lost power this morning but it was restored fairly quickly.
I am glad you are home safe and sound but I can’t believe you were traveling on Friday, especially through Raleigh where I live. Friday was torrential downpours all day long, there was so much flooding, branches were coming down, power was out all over the place….my daughter coming home from work Friday night (her restaurant was NOT closed much to my dismay), hit flooding and had to be re-routed, luckily she was able to stay at a nearby friend’s house for the night. Most of us were spared but hearts go out to the ones who were not.
Dale,
Our weather on Friday was all pretty good except for one 30 minutes period where there was horrible, torrential rain. I think we were on the far side of Raleigh when it happened. Absolutely unreal. So thankful your daughter found a safe place to spend the night; sounds like that restaurant didn’t need to be open!
Praise the Lord! I’m so glad to hear that you are home and safe. I am also glad to hear that the elder Smith’s are safe, too. I saw that Charlotte was getting hit some, too and I was thinking of you all. Hope you got some good rest! Blessings to you all.
BTW- our weather here in Grand Forks, ND is officially Fall. We had our last warm day yesterday and we will be cool for as far ahead as the weather channel shows. We had 85 degrees yesterday. Today, it will only get to 60 degrees. It’s also cloudy…a good day to stay home on the couch, reading. But, I’m at work. The rest of the week is in the 60’s,too.
Krista,
I cant wait for cool fall weather. Ready to pull out boots and sweaters. Enjoy!
And thanks for thinking of our family in the storm.
Such good news from you today!! Been wondering how you are. The sweet little comforts of home are huge if you look around and think how they make life nicer. So glad you can be home and gather your wits about you and walk forward into the new day. Ruth
Ruth,
We are definitely enjoying the sweet little comforts and the wits-gathering of home! 🙂
Yay!! Your safe and sound and so is your perfectly precious HOME! That is great news. If you’re wondering we are safe as well. Sarah and I. Lost no power and no damage to the apartment as far as I know. Love me some Smiths! Have a great week!!
Catherine,
So very glad to hear you and Sarah were safe with no damage. Such a huge thanksgiving!
Our homes truly are precious, aren’t they? Hugs.
Becky I am so truly happy that you and your family are safe and that your home and church and town have been spared. I was praying and asking God to send angels of protection.
I feel so deeply for the people in th other towns who were not spared; it is hard to know why God allows calamity. I’m sure that they all had equally as many people praying for safety as those who were spared. I hope the recovery and clean up efforts go well and quickly.
Jenna,
I have thought those very same things–why are some spared and others are not spared? As you said, other people were praying for safety and protection, as well.
No easy answers for any of that except to trust that God is in control of the winds, the seas, and our lives.
So thankful you had a safe trip both ways and no damage. We are having heavy rain this morning and tornado warnings are close by but we are spared so far. I just have a hard time comprehending all the flood waters. Prayers for those affected. Really makes you thankful for the blessings we had received. It is scary in a way because we have been spared several times. Tornado warnings have ceased for now. Still glued to the TV. Blessings and God’s protection to you. How is Sarah? Don’t think they were affected but not sure.
Ann,
Sarah did well. I added a P.S. to the post about her.
Glad you and Jim fared well and are coming out the other side. I’m ready for some blue skies and calm seas!
Oh my goodness! I am SO relieved to see that your home survived the storm and that you are back there, safe and sound. Whew!! Thank you, thank you for the update!
Lee Anne,
Yes, it was a huge relief to pull in and see our undamaged house. Sure spent many days worrying over all that could have gone wrong. It’s a stressful thing to contemplate losing one’s home. And I know that many people are experiencing that stress right now. My heart is with them.