Brandi Payne: How the Flood Changed Our Lives

My friend wanted a non-flooded comparison of Lawson’s touching front entrance photo. Doesn’t look too drastic until you look at the mailbox. Wow! This is about how it looked when we woke up. We were rescued by boat about three hours later. What a long wait!
Cell phones not working, 911 not answering anymore, or just saying “You’re on the list!” I just kept calling my mom screaming and crying!
My daughter Kameron was away for the flood and missed all the fun, but my husband Jason, son Lawson, and I were rescued a few hours later. By then, the water was a good bit higher and the currents were stronger. You couldn’t see any mailboxes at all. When we came back home, the boats had knocked down all the mailboxes!
Once we made it to mom’s on the other side of Central, her yard was full of water. We were only there about an hour before having to evacuate again.
Gosh, looking at these pictures makes my chest feel funny. What an experience! It makes you appreciate the safety we feel on a day-to-day basis.
Beauty comes after the storm! The Great Flood taught me that we can get through anything, that God will always show up, and that life is fragile and relationships are special!
I took a few after-pictures of our house — what the place looked like after a good bit of blood, sweat, and tears. We did things we never knew we could do, and we made it!
To flood is one thing, but to have to be rescued is another. We were watching a documentary this morning on TV and Lawson stopped playing and came to sit with me and held my hand. Sweet baby boy, he was such a big boy that day and never cried, but it did instill a memory that won’t leave for a long time.
I can’t believe it’s been a year. It seems so long ago, but yet, like yesterday!
I will never forget waking up and looking out to see the Amite River in front of my house. We were already trapped with no way out.
That was just the beginning. It challenged my faith to my core! We were under attack — emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially!
However, my God pulled us through! Every time we were at the very end of our rope, something happened or someone showed up to lift us up just enough.
To all of our friends and family who helped even if for a day, you have no idea the relief you brought.
The Great Flood of 2016 was horrific, but to me it was so much more! It made me love my City even more and also started strong bonds with close neighbors. It brought our family closer together — literally in the same house! Most of all, it proved God to be so faithful! He can turn any storm into a beautiful rainbow!

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