The New Normal After A Disaster Feels Anything But Normal

This post from Facebook was made after we found a place to live since our house was unlivable.

April 7, 2025 - The Hotel

The night of the flood in the Rio Grande Valley, we checked into our hotel with the help of friends. They covered several nights, which took the worry of finding a safe place off our plates. My husband and I immediately went to the Walmart across the street from the hotel to buy cat food, kitty litter, and a litter box. I also rushed through the clothing departments, grabbing cheap shorts and t-shirts for me and my husband and a nightgown for my mom. The clothes in our bags had gotten wet when we'd pushed the car through the floodwaters.

The next day, my husband rescued Kody, and he joined us at the hotel. The suite has two beds and a pullout couch, so we fit perfectly.

A friend encouraged us to do a GoFundMe, which Kody Boye did for us. We were in shock, between paychecks and struggling to sort out what to do next. The GoFundMe allowed us to stay in the hotel, eat, and buy supplies.

Our homeowner's insurance turned us down within an hour of my husband calling them. They're lowballing us on our car insurance claim, too.

My husband and Kody returned to the house a few days after the water receded. The walls were spongy, and if you pushed on them, they moved. One side of the house is slanted away from the center. Kody's room looks like it's sinking into the ground. The house smells of mold. The water came through the siding and into the walls. During the flood, the water came out of the baseboards.

Since we can't go back to the house to live, we got a duplex in the town we used to live in, about 40 minutes from the house. The utilities are set up now, and I have the keys. We plan to move in on Wednesday.

While my husband was driving cross country with Kody to Idaho, I did runs to the house to feed the feral colony Kody was taking care of. They've all moved on to other places in the neighborhood since they know we're not in the house. I feel so sad about that. Our porch was their safe haven for a year. The adorable black cat, Spooky, was struck by a car at the end of our driveway, and it hurts to know she wouldn't have been outside the fence if not for the flood.

We're hoping to save some of our furniture since parts of the house didn't flood as badly, but I know we'll have losses.

I am so grateful for every donation to the GoFundMe or through my PayPal or Kody's. Those funds helped get him to Idaho and fly my husband home. They helped us secure a safe place to be since the night of the flood. They helped us secure a new place to live.

We're still raising money because Kody and I haven't worked since the flood. I am taking on a lighter load because there is still so much to do, and Kody needs to replace some of his computer equipment. We also have moving expenses coming up, so any donations are very appreciated.

I am very emotional writing this, but all of you kept us housed, fed, and safe during the worst time in our lives. The trauma of this event has affected every aspect of our lives. The flood destroyed the life we were living, and now we're starting over.

Thank you again for every single donation.. You're our angels. Thank you for your well wishes, prayers, good vibes, and reposts.

Y'all are the best.