39.43" feet and climbing

The Red River is currently almost surpassing the record flood levels of 1997. It is going to crest between 42 and 43 feet. I was not here to witness that flood, it was my first year of college in Minneapolis and had no idea nor really cared because I was a selfish 18 year old at the time. This time it is a completely different story. To be first hand witness to this is amazingly horrific. You feel scared, hopeful, and appreciative within seconds of each other. It makes me anxious to even write about it. Meritcare is evacuating, the southside of Moorhead is evacuating-Erik had to go and help my aunt and uncle move everything up before they were unexpectedly evacuated, and all the high schools are being opened up for shelter. My father-in-law is refusing to leave his home and horses. There really is no place to go that is safe at this point. The officials keep saying that we are not giving up but you can see in their eyes that they are feeling helpless. They are shutting down many roads due to water, it took my mother-in-law 3 1/2 hours to get home from work to here which is from 45th St to us. Everywhere you look there is national guardsmen, dirty sand baggers, and the town is essentially shut down except for grocery and hardware stores. Please pray for the Red River Valley, we truly need it.