It’s been a heavy week in a lot of ways. It’s been a happy week in a lot of ways. I’m struggling a bit balancing out the counter emotions and toying around with what to share and how much to share online. Some of my favorite blog posts and your responses have been from times I’ve been most open and vulnerable. Some of my absolute least favorite moments in blogging have been when I’ve been open and vulnerable. Yet there seems to be a part of me that can’t resist getting on here and letting it all out from time to time. This is feeling like one of those times.
In our personal world… David totaled his truck two weeks ago and first and foremost all I care is that he is safe. Truly. I’ve had some level of increased anxiety with the steep increase of travel for him based on his new position but also the fact that we don’t live in his territory yet so he’s having to be a road warrior. We can replace things, but not people and I feel deeply grateful he’s perfectly well. Figuring out how to move forward with figuring out a new vehicle has been a bit of a headache we didn’t anticipate, especially with time being of the essence because of his travel, us moving in a few weeks (and depending on his truck for parts of that), and the fact we just bought a camper that is currently living in mom’s driveway and won’t be able to move until we figure it out. But figure it out we will!
My Nannie is 91 and over the past few months her dementia has gotten worse. My mom and her siblings and a couple helpers trade off on round the clock care for her right now and we are so grateful she’s able to stay in her home. It’s a lot of my mom, even if she may not recognize it fully, as she has the biggest, most altruistic heart in all the world. The silver lining is the girls and I have been able to see Nannie and we know she’s very happy to be in the house she loves so much. Last week she was approved for hospice and while I logically know this means extra helping hands and comfort, not imminent death, it’s just a reminder of time and how it passes and makes things change.
Less importantly, but also a literal pain in the neck, I had a neck flare up last week that has persisted leading to lots of ice and Advil, and I hate taking medicine. The only thing that has really helped prevent these episodes over the past few years in chiropractic care, which I went to regularly at our old house. Being without that care for two months caught up to me and I’m kicking myself a bit. The good news- I went last week to a new chiropractor in Greenville who seems wonderful, so help is on the horizon.
We went to check on the new house last week and saw firsthand the endless number of giant trees uprooted, power lines down, and bridges washed out. And we were in what many would call the lucky area. I have friends in Greenville that were without power for 9+ days. And again, they are some of the lucky ones. Our neighborhood had flooded so badly a neighbor had to ferry people who needed out across in his bass boat and we could see the caked on muddy water line remaining on the bushes and trees. Our house was unscathed by the hurricane, leaving me feeling deeply grateful and simultaneously guilty.
It hasn’t gotten the national news coverage it deserves, but with my social circles being largely plugged into the North Carolina and South Carolina circles, I’ve seen up close a lot of the sincere devastation Helene left in her wake and it is gut wrenching. It’s hard to convey the catastrophic damage to communities in the greater Asheville area. The land has been geologically resurfaced. It’s not like waters can recede and people can rebuild; the land is completely different now. A friend of mine in the Black Mountain area says they’ve been told it will be months before they get water back, so they are misplaced for at least that long. It’s heartbreaking. I have another friend in Augusta, GA that told me Augusta was decimated. We are currently an hour from Augusta and haven’t heard anything about this beyond a higher number of people than usual at mom’s grocery store because the stores in Augusta were out of power.
At the same time, seeing the people of the surrounding these devastated communities come together to help has been awe inspiring. Former military men building land bridges over rivers and helicoptering in supplies. Strong southern women organizing donations and efforts and leading the charge to get information about this dire situation out to the world. Residents banding together with chainsaws to clear paths so people can start to find each other. I’ve personally donated to Samaritan’s Purse and the Aerial Recovery Group if you’re looking for vetted organizations making a difference, but I know there are so many ways to help and I’ve cried more than once watching the efforts all kinds of people are making to help these areas. American people are so good and so strong and in that they are real heroes. Citizens are the ones with boots on the ground, helping people immediately, and making up for the seemingly lackluster response from our federal government who is at best creating bad optics by proudly announcing the billions of dollars being sent overseas while American citizens whose lives have been destroyed here on our home soil are struggling with a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions.
I was talking to a friend last week about the happenings in the world. The hurricane of course, but also Israel and Iran, port strikes, and more. I pondered whether the world has also been so full of high tensions and I’m just seeing it more now looking through the lens of a mother looking out into the world she’s trying to prepare her kids to enter, or if stakes really are higher then in other times of modern history. We weren’t sure.
My blog is an unusual blend of hobby and business. I’m struggling right now to create gift guides or publish recipe content while it feels like such real things are happening in the world. It’s hard to promote shopping and meal plan ideas when so many people are lacking the very basics of shelter and water right now. But I figure two things can be true at once: I can share simple things that hopefully make small tasks a bit easier, like picking the right gift or feeding your family a meal they all love, while praying for and sending support to help those in need. In fact, if I continue to do what I do, I have more resources available to be able to contribute.
So I’m doing what I have no doubt so many of us are doing- finding a way to do what needs to be done in my daily life while loving my people and looking for the daily sparks of joy we are undoubtedly blessed with while also continuing to look for ways to make a positive impact in the larger and harder situations when and where I can. Sending love and peace to you all; thanks for listening. <3
