the flood of 2008

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My final summer at the University of Iowa there was a flood, and it was a pretty big deal. People went crazy at the grocery store, volunteers stacked sand bags for hours and the entire town had a curfew. That was four years ago today.

Whenever any one mentions the flood of 2008 it prompts two memories for me. First, that I was thisclose to meeting my favorite weatherman, Sam Champion from Good Morning America. Unfortunately, between my work schedule and the flood I couldn't get to him. He was waist deep in river water in Cedar Rapids, only 30 minutes away. So close, yet so far. Secondly, that Nate's one hour drive to visit me ended up being a five hour tour of Iowa before he could get to me.

Nate had just finished up a trimester at Palmer and was headed home to work for a week. His weekend plans were to stop see his sweetheart. We lived an hour apart at the time, and I knew things were getting worse with the flood. I called him and urged him to get on the road right away, as I had just heard I-80 was set to close soon. Nate, however, had different plans in mind. Golfing with the guys kind of plans.

So he stayed in the Quad Cities and played his round of golf, and then hit the road. Only to be told he couldn't get through to Iowa City. He had to drive up, over, down and back across Iowa to get to me. His one hour trip ended up taking five hours. Now is that love or what? We were newly dating at that point, so goodness knows if we had even had our first fight. Do I think he would do it again? Probably not, but then again I don't think I would want him too.

I love reminding him about one of the many times he should have listened to me. I also love remembering how much it meant to me that he didn't just give up and go home, instead he battled the flood waters of 2008 to see me.