Today

Since we discovered my home is also unlivable (mold has set in) and needs more repairs than originally thought we have to move out as well. Sam and Kaiden have already gone to our mom's. I have sent my boys to their other grandparents. I am still in the home with my dog, frantically trying to secure housing for us that will allow our dog and do a month to month rental. Don't forget that hundreds of homes in our area have been destroyed, so rentals are hard to come by.

I did go back to FEMA and change my claim to let them know I now need relocation money. They were so helpful and I did get approval to stay in a hotel up to 15 days and then get rental assistance for up to 2 months while my home is being repaired. I checked and I do not have to repay any of these services or funds.

It is a relief that I have their backing, however finding somewhere to stay in those perimeters is no easy task. All while packing up my entire downstairs (which is almost my whole house) and being separated from my boys.

Still I remain calm and hopeful. Also through this all I have not felt alone. I know God is overseeing and carrying me through, plus many from my family, friends, and church have reached out to offer assistance. Yesterday a friend from my church was over helping me pack. Today a few more friends are coming as well. Fri. a team from my church is coming to get all my appliances and big furniture in storage.

For now I take a quiet moment to just be, and also to count my blessings as they are still so numerous.

I count you my reader as a blessing today. For taking time to read this, and for your care and compassion. I wish you, my dear reader a happy Thanksgiving. I also ask you to share this blog on your facebook, twitter, blog, even email the link to your contacts. And if you feel lead please make a donation so we can rebuild my home and my sister's home as well.

Thanks.

~Becky

Demo Day

Remaining items on street

 

Organizatin that did demo

Yesterday I received a phone call from this Mormon organization, they were at Samantha's house, and wanted to know what help we needed. After a few calls back and forth, they came back today to completely gut Samantha's house, When I say gut, its a shell. Walls, floors, molding, anything wet, moldy or rotted. In this case even the kitchen sink. Anything tangible left from Hurricane, was either boxed to bring to my house or scrapped. Very little was saved. While this all might seem great that now the house is bared to the bones, it does not mean very much. We do not have the means, financially to put it back together. But at least further damage will be avoided.

This coming week, we will be packing up Becky's house, as the entire first floor flooring has to be pulled up. Did I mentioned finding a place for all of Becky's stufff

The sub floor, the floor, any walls that got wet, maybe the kitchen cabinets, the bathroom tile and tub. Who knows what will be found upon further inspection. All heating ducts need replacement, the central air unit was under water and any insulation under the house needs to be removed. Sadly under the house was just completely weatherizied by professionals about 3 years ago. As if not to add insult to injury, on Friday Becky had a small house fire in her dryer. We are not sure now if perhaps electric got wet, or the dryer just felt like quiting. Hopefully it is the latter. The one saving grace from Sams' house is about 2 months ago I replaced her dryer and it did not get wet. It is smaller but will work for now. Of course it is outside, so hopefully weather elements will not ruin it.


Whats left of kitchen, mold already making a new home
 

What does this mean, Becky, Sam, three grandsons, a dog and a cat will have no place to go, I am hoping Scott and I can find a small short term rental for about a month and they all can stay here. Sounds simple except rentals are not available due to the amount of homeless survivors of the storm that also lost their homes, I thought a extended stay hotel would work but they are all booked with again survivors of the storm and all the utility workers from out of state. Each day we face a new challenge, each day we find new strength

Trying to find the hope, faith and love, please continue your support

  

Team doing demo, God Bless them all

Mold setting in

Add caption

What was Sam's bedroom, floor was still wet after 14 days

                                                    Sam in her gutted out house, so sad

Thanks so much for the donations

So far we have received donations of cash, food store gift cards, Home Depot & Lowe's gift cards.

We are so thankful.

Will update when we know exact repairs needed on both houses, plus estimates. The cash will go towards home repairs for both homes.

We really feel the love. Thank you so much!

~Becky

FEMA letter

Just got my letter from FEMA. I am getting $0.00. That will really help right now.

Ahhhh!!!

~Becky

After the storm, this is the town after the storm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yNnZGctDLs&noredirect=1

Flood insurance

My flood insurance adjuster will not be out until the week after Thanksgiving. He said that I can not make any repairs or even pull up the kitchen floors until he comes. I asked him about mold especially since I have a child with asthma, he said I could call a mold guy out myself to check for mold.

Apparently we are not priority since we are still living in the home and have power and heat. My fear is that we are blowing mold into the house with the heat on, as the FEMA guy said their was water in the vents and installation under the house.

I guess I will be calling a mold guy; oh and I have to also call HVAC as I have to get an estimate to get that repaired as well.

I can tell you, I officially feel like a grown up now with dealing with all this storm stuff. I sort of miss the days when my mom would come in and handle everything for me (and she has offered) but this is stuff that I have to take care of.

Will update on my house as I know more.

~Becky

From a 9 year old's perspective

Last week we had a big storm. The water came up to our deck. I wasn't scared, because I knew if it came in the house we could go upstairs. The water came up my aunt's car, you could not even see her license plate. The water went over our car's tires. The power in our house went out for the whole week.

My aunt Sammy lost her house. She has to stay at our house. And my baby cousin, Kaiden has to stay too. And my mom's friend has to stay, he lost his house too. It is stress full with 6 people here. My mom, my aunt, my cousin, my mom's friend, my brother, and me. So we are praying that everything goes well. We are all crowded in this house. But we know that God will provide a way. Please pray for us.

                                            Josh at the Union Beach bay this summer

~Josh (age 9)

Janet Vignes Photography

The Friday before the hurricane hit, a dear friend of mine took a family session of my sister, the kids, and I.

Check out her facebook here

Here are a few of the pictures she took

                                                    Jason (14), Becky (33), and Josh (9)

                                                       Samantha (23) and Kaiden (2)

                                                all of us at the Union Beach beach front

FEMA

I (Becky) have already had a FEMA inspector out and am waiting to see what if anything they can do to help, especially regarding loss of car.

From what he said it does not look like I will get any money as I was not displaced, and the car starts so they may not consider it totaled (although my mechanic said with salt water damage it is dangerous to drive due to salt causing fires.)

My sister is waiting for the FEMA rep to meet her. They said they will come between 8:00am and 4:00pm.

Hopefully she will get something to help with everything she lost.

~Becky

Anyone else want to share their FEMA experiences?

that first day (Monday 10/29)

I am in such awe of the love and support we have gotten from the community since hurricane Sandy rolled in last Monday.

We have been blessed with food and clothing to replace some that was lost. We have started getting some donations from paypal to help with rebuilding as well. As I type this I am crying happy tears.

It has been a hard last two weeks. I know we are so blessed, and that many lost even more than we did. But it is still ok for me (Becky) to feel sad for what I lost (car, income sources, quiet, and my son's homemade train table, among other things.) It is ok for all of us to feel sad for whatever situation we are going through.

We decided to stay during the hurricane, since where we live happens to be a higher street in Union Beach (my grandmother lived here 50 years before me and she never had water come near her house.) Monday was actually a pleasant day. We had a hurricane party. We had snacks, and movies, and just had a fun day.

Until about 7:30 when cousins who live right near me said they had water on their street. Within minutes it was in my yard, and the water rose so quickly I just stood in awe on my back deck, not really sure what to do. We watched as the water rise above the car tires, then higher, above my sister's license, almost level to my deck. Inside we began frantically pulling anything of value off the floors and taking it and food and water upstairs. It was so scary and surreal.

But by some miracle as quickly as the water rose, it receded (from what I learned later other streets had water for hours.) We did not have water coming up through the floor or walls. For us, by 11pm their was only a few inches in the yard. But it was enough time to do some damage.

At some point during the water coming up, we lost power as well.

During the flooding time a fire started right down the street, and as the waters receded we watched in horror as this building (a motorcycle shop with an apartment above it) was engulfed in flames. The embers were flying everywhere as well. I thought they were going to fly right over and light our house on fire.

I was thinking we were spared on flood damage, but now my house will burn down. It was a terrifying thought.

Eventually the fire was extinguished and we all attempted to go to bed. I went praying that the worse was over.

Thankfully I was able to sleep that night.

~Becky

Finding a rainbow in the storm

Help us Rebuild

 

All Samantha's belongings saturated with raw sewerage

Walls seeping with sewerage, salt water and now mold

Front Hallway, now unwalkable as floor is soaked and falling into crawl space

Kitchen floor, cabinets all wood soaked and rotted

We are trying once again to rebuild, to find a rainbow in this mess. We need help. We do not have insurance to rebuild and FEMA will not provide help, as the house is still in Samantha's grandmothers name and since it is not a primary residence will not be covered.

 Last week as I was watching my 2 1/2 year old grandson Kaiden, he was napping, when he woke up he had tears in his eyes, when I held him and asked what was wrong, it broke my heart, he looked at me and said I want to go to mommies house. I lost my son 3 years ago, and as God as my witness hearing this sweet little boy cry and speak those words was even sadder than the day I lost my son.

This Kaiden in happier days

I have a team ready to gut the house, I have friends of Eric, (my son who passed) ready to put the house back to a livable state, BUT we need funding, supplies and the mechanics to do so.

My other daughter who also suffered damage to her home, also has to rebuild her entire sub floor and heating system was compromised, yet she is currently housing in addition to her own two children, three other people. Her home is only 900 square feet; her two sons gave us their tiny bedrooms for the others that are now living there.
Both girls lost their cars, as a mother I am heartbroken that I cannot do more, so I am reaching out. Reaching out as far as I can, I figure for every person I know posted this on thier social media page, or emailed, or printed and posted somewhere, maybe just maybe with help from others and the grace of God we can put these houses back together and find the rainbow at the end of the storm.
Any amount is welcomed, each dollar will help benefit the rebuilding process.

I took this several months ago in Union Beach, who knew it would be part of my hope

Help our family find the rainbow in this storm
Thank you for those who have helped already, we love you, and know that Gods hands are guiding you.

Jeannette,
Becky
Samantha
Kaiden, Joshua and Jason

We have power, heat, hot water, internet, and cable running again. We have been so in awe of all the love, prayers, and donations of clothes and food that people have sent. Thank you so much!

~Becky

Our hurricane Sandy story

We created this blog as an avenue to share our hurricane Sandy situation.

First let me start off with who we are. We are two sister's who live one street apart in Union Beach, NJ. We are also both single mom's. Between us we have three sweet, active, loving boys.

                                                               us from fall 2011
                           our current ages: Becky (33), Sam (23), Jason (14), Josh (9), and Kaiden (2.5)
     
We did not lose our homes entirely during the storm, but we both did have damage.

My (Becky) home suffered much less damage than Sam, but as of right now I have water in the sub floor. I have to rip up all my laminate floors and carpet in my downstairs.  I have to replace my heating / cooling and insulation in my crawl space. I also have to replace my central air unit. (And I love cool air.)

                                  the upstairs window is gone (it leaked), but this is my house
                                         

    my house from side and yard and shed, water was above where my siding starts during hurricane

In addition my car, a 1998 Dodge caravan, although running, was deemed unsafe by my mechanic (since it was damaged in flood.)

Although I do have flood insurance, it has a standard $3,000 deductible; and does not cover contents or the car.

My (Sam) home suffered much more damage. I am still unsure of the structure damage. But inside I had about 2 feet of water and the walls, and floors are ruined. Almost everything I own is now sitting on the curb. I was physically sick as my ruined items were casually discarded as trash. But that is what they have become.

 picture from 2007 (house is now green, with green door, fence is now white)

I watched as the waters rose over my car tires, then license, eventually submerging the engine. My 1999 Dodge Neon is ruined.

My home is in my grandmother's name, and their is no insurance at all. At this point I do not even know where to begin. I still have to have mud clean up (all water damage removed), and structure checked, and roof checked, and more. FEMA deemed the house rebuildable, but not livable at this time. This means I am homeless, and my son and I have taken over my 9 year old nephew's room at my sister's.

So we now are all sharing my (Becky's) 900 square foot home. It is a tight squeeze, but we are blessed to not be in a shelter.

We finally have power, heat, and internet again.

We need your prayers and financial help in rebuilding our homes. Thanks.

-Becky & Sam