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After reading about the Katrina Aftermath, I have to wonder – will New Orleans be allowed to rebuild?

I know that for the rest of the country, that may sound like a crazy question. “Of course! People would want to rebuild their homes! It is a historic city! They have to rebuild!”

However, I’ve been through two bad floods in Houston in the past 11 years (October, 1994 and June, 2001) and if an area was flooded out and the government stepped in to buyout for their homes, they were not allowed to rebuild their homes. Entire subdivisions in Houston have been wiped off the map due to this rule related to federal funds.

So what about New Orleans? What will happen there? Will they be allowed to rebuild? If a city is below sea level to begin with and takes so much effort to keep the water out, isn’t it nature’s way of saying that the land needs to be reclaimed by the ocean? Should their be a city there between the Mississippi river and Lake Pontchatrain?

This is a hard question for me to ask since Mike’s family (the Tremoulet side) is from the New Orleans area. But I still have to wonder…

The refugees from the Superdome are being brought over to the Houston Astrodome. I have bags of clothes I was going to give to Northwest Assistance Ministries, but now I am looking for an organization that will take them for the hurricane victims. If you know of one, please let me know.

Between kicking off the reading for my Biology and Chemistry classes and watching the news, I haven’t been online much in the past two days. I’m too stunned every time I watch the video coming out of the states east of us – I keep thinking that could happen here at any time. I am just thankful that we live at least an hour from Galveston and that Houston is at least above sea level. These days, it is the little things that give me some peace.

Mike, Jason & I visited Mike’s Great Aunt Yvonne when we went to New Orleans this summer. She is safe and sound in Baton Rouge, but there is no word on her house yet. She lives on Gentilly Ridge, which is one of the highest points in the city. She left behind family heirlooms that are at least 100 years old; I hope that her house and the contents are all in good shape when she returns.

Off to do some more reading. School update coming soon. For more information on the situation in New Orleans, you can check out their Metblog.

Today is the big day. The one I have put off for 15 years.

Today, I return to college.

I’m nervous. I’m scared. And after reading the first 20 pages of my chemistry book, I’m convinced that I’ve lost all of my brain power in the past 15 years.

I asked my Dad last night, “What if the other kids don’t like me?” He said, “Who the hell cares, you are twice their age.”

*sigh* At least I am returning with 15 years of wisdom and experience. That should count for something.