100 Days After Harvey

I haven’t written in a while, obviously, a long while. Why? Hurricane Harvey. It got our car, it got our house, but it didn’t get us! We escaped via rescue boat; my wife, our cat, and I. We took a boat from our front door, through the neighborhood, across the freeway, to a parking lot. My parents picked us up, and we stayed with them for two days. We returned to a house. Not a home. Simply a house in need of repair.

Over the next few days, with the help of friends, family, and strangers, we hauled our house, little by little, to the curb. Our floors, gone. Our kitchen, gone. Our walls, gone.

That was the last week of August. Now it is December. After 100 days, our house is complete. It is a home. Again.

A big thanks to all that helped us financially, if it weren’t for you all we would have been in a tough spot. And thanks to all those that helped us physically, because I am by no means a home-builder. You all know who you are. Thank you.

Most of all, though, I would like to thank my wife. Not only did she endure my complaining the whole time, she did a lot of the work herself. While I was driving from Arizona (that’s where we bought our car) she painted the walls. While I was working, she put down the floor. Yes, the floor. Piece by piece, 1500 square feet of laminate. The backsplash, the stonework, yep, she did that too. Thanks babe. I am glad that I married such a hard worker and such a beautiful woman.

So that’s where I’ve been–working around the house (mostly cleaning because that’s really all I am good at), or picking up any extra shifts that I can to help pay for this catastrophe. And now, it’s done. Our cat, Luca, no longer can walk through the studs to get from room to room, she must use the doors. Cement floors are covered once again, all our furniture back in place, and it feels like a home. A nice happy home, just like before. The best Christmas present I could ever imagine. Merry Christmas everyone. And a Happy New Year.