Top: Oakville, IA post office after a levee broke on the Iowa River, inundating the entire town and surrounding area.
Middle: Area around Oakville. Normally farm fields, several feet of water make it look like a lake, where the Iowa and Mississippi Rivers have joined to create the debacle. Several levee workers commented about farms incurring over 7 feet of water upon inspection.
Bottom: Downtown Cedar Rapids, IA where the Cedar River overflowed its concrete embankments and engulfed over 1300 square blocks.
Just a glimpse into what the scenery of east central and southeast Iowa looks like at the moment and in recent days.
Many of you probably saw the devastation in Cedar Rapids, where 24,000 people were evacuated and the entire downtown was flooded in at least seven feet of water; or in Iowa City where many University buildings were severely damaged with several feet of water.
But further south, entire communities in Iowa and Illinois were flooded and evacuated. Granted, these are small communities with only several hundred people, but these people are friends, family and co-workers. Lives have been changed forever, and some have been lost forever.
When levees broke on these communities, minutes were literally all people had to get out or get swallowed by the water; that included the people on the levees working to save them.
I worked to sandbag a levee on Monday, next to a guy from Oakville (top picture) who had lost his house and wanted to help someone else not lose theirs.
Today I worked next to Amish Mennonites from 70 miles away and a guy from West Bend, Iowa, over 150 miles away who came to help.
I never really understood the devastation of a flood until it happened to me as an adult, in the community I live in. Never again will I see pictures or read a story about a flood without really feeling something for the people going through it. It's absolutely terrible, and a clear reminder about the tenuous existence we share with Mother Nature.
Kelly and I are not affected directly by the flood, but certainly knew people who are, like Kelly's cousin Katie. Our prayers will remain with those people for a long time.
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On to baby news. Kelly is feeling fine, watching her belly grow larger by the day and wondering what the last few weeks of pregnancy will be like.
Kelly had a checkup last week (no ultrasound) and all is well. They measured three strong heartbeats and Kelly's vital signs were normal.
I've been working on the basement with friend Joe and making good progress. Pictures to come!
Our next full checkup (with ultrasound) is July 8, where we will find out the sexes of the babies...see poll on the top right of the page, and let us know what you think they will be. If there are pools going on, we want a piece of the action!
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