This one is a little near and dear to my heart… Not just as the hubs’ and my alma mater, but having lived there for several years (and where the little man was born), Iowa State and Ames holds a special place in our hearts and minds.
This past week our friends and colleagues there have been through a watery hell. Several inches of rain (“like a hurricane,” one of our friends mentioned) in a very short amount of time led to huge, disastrous flooding. And to add insult to injury, water mains broke and contaminated the city’s water supply. Our old home was near to the flooding, but far enough and high enough to (hopefully) remain dry. But I know others who didn’t fare as well. Thanks to Facebook, we’ve been able to keep up with most of our friends and know that they were safe, away from their waterlogged basements.
Of course this comes at the most unfortunate possible time :: a time normally filled with excitement and anticipation for a new school year, new football season, and the return of cooler weather. Instead of practicing, football players sandbagged on Wednesday morning as the water rose around the athletic complex. Students, returning to campus, instead dropped their bags and went to distribute clean bottled water to others. Doing things the Iowa State way – showing compassion and lending a hand where it’s needed most.
It’s heartbreaking to watch from afar, and know that there isn’t a whole lot that can be done from over 350 miles away, especially when it’s so familiar and impressioned on our hearts. So here’s a shout out to Ames and the Cyclones, with hopes and good wishes for drier days ahead. 
(More photos can be found at The Des Moines Register)
by Cathy
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