love thy neighbor

I was going to write this post as another edition to our misadventures in parenting. Instead, I decided it would be better told as a story of neighborly love.

My boys were playing in the backyard with a friends. I looked out and saw Nathan with the hose turned on, playing in the grass. I went back to what I was doing. About 5-10 minutes later, Emma came rushing in to tell me that the boys had made a "pool" in the basement stairwell. Apparently they decided to make a waterfall down the steps. Our drain at the bottom was clogged up with sand (though even unclogged, I doubt it could have handled that much water) and within minutes we had a pool. Oh yes, a pool that seeped under the door and into the basement, soaking carpet, pad and concrete.

I sent Slade to his room and his friend home. I was trying desperately to calm the rage I was feeling. I gathered towels to try and mop it up and they were sopping wet within seconds. And then, my neighbors came to the rescue. I called one to ask if she had a wet/dry vacuum. Thankfully she did. Before she even arrived, another neighbor (mom to Slade's co-conspirator) came with her vacuum, followed shortly by her husband. I guess Emma had shared the news. All three of these neighbors were so awesome. They vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed. I protested that I should be the one working but they wouldn't let me do much. All I could do was stand there and be beyond grateful.

Dave went and rented fans. We've pulled back the carpet and hopefully it will dry before it starts to mold. Our neighbor called someone in the ward who knows how to lay carpets. He came by and offered his help in getting it back down when its dry. Wow, I am feeling overwhelmed by the service we were given today. I really hope that we can return a small part of that service someday, though hopefully it won't involve any flooded basements.