Behind The Scenes

It’s been such a week. Last weekend our friends in our old neighborhood of Saratoga Springs experienced a flash flood that included lots and lots of mud… Last summer’s wildfires created a burn scar on the mountain above the neighborhood so when the rain started, everything just started moving… The debris and mud went through front basement window wells – crashing through and then filling the basements…

Sunday morning we went to help – we were just three people in a sea of volunteers. It was incredible and humbling to be a part of…

Volunteers just showed up – there were literally a thousand people plus there that day – large groups of people at each home, filling and passing buckets – cleaning the mud out into the street where the city could remove it. It was incredible…

After returning home Troy and I left our shoes in the garage that now smells like campfire. I’m thinking it was all the ash in the mud. I threw the first pair of shoes I used Sunday away as they were completely caked and unsalvageable.

The saddest part is homeowner’s insurance won’t cover mudslides so all the families affected are trying to rebuild their walls and electrical on their own. However, when we spoke with friends who had been affected, they just expressed gratitude that their children and families were ok. It could have been so different.

If you are interested in helping the families affected by this mudslide, you can find more information here.

I’m so looking forward to Spraguefest!! Just five days before I’m on my way… Will you be there? If so, I hope I get to meet you!

Highlights of The Week

#1 visiting the elk farm just a few streets away from our townhouse…

#2 A game of HORSE near our new home while the sunset last night…

I’m loving that this move has brought things closer to our home base. You should have seen all seven of us Monday night riding our bikes down the road… I forget what a spectacle a large family can be until we go somewhere all together without a car. I LOVE that we are spending less time in a car and more time walking and biking…

The longer I live the more I realize our lives are built around connections with family, friends and people we have the opportunity to serve. The busier life gets, the more I cherish the time I have with my kids and Troy – I am so grateful for my life.

I hope you all had a wonderful week!