Holy Moly!!!!

Ok, so incase you haven't been getting all of my super exciting posts on Facebook about the weather out here, let me update you a little. :)

It is flooding like crazy. It would appear that Mother Nature had waaaayyyyy too much to drink and the natural sewer system of life has a clog, somehow.......

Flooding has always fascinated me, mostly because I don't understand how it is possible. For me, it's kind of like a traffic jam that happens for no reason. You know how sometimes in traffic everyone just slows down immediately and it takes miles before you are back up to speed again, only to find no reason for the slow down? Well, I don't understand exactly why the water doesn't just rush to the ocean faster. Also, why, when it is overflowing, doesn't it just spread out across the land far enough that it just seeps into the ground further out, like when you spill water on the floor and it just keeps going everywhere until it is thin enough to dry up or stopped? But alas, I guess I just need to read a book about it. :)

Well, here is a link to a news video if you care to watch it http://www.keloland.com/videoarchive/index.cfm?VideoFile=053011yankton

But in a nutshell, there are 6 major dams along the Missouri River. The Gavins point dam, here in Yankton, is the last one (I think) before it hits the ocean. All of the other dams (which start clear back in Montana) are full. This one is almost at capacity and they have opened the gates of it wider than they have ever been open before. There is so much water flowing in right now that almost everyone in town was there the other night just watching. There are so many families all along this gigantic river that are being affected. I hope they are all going to be alright. I have some pictures of what it was like down there on Sunday:

just a walk in the park....

    So, today was rough. I have been trying all day, everyday, to find a job, thinking of places to go begging for jobs, and just about anything else job related that you can think of. Luckily for me there was a job fair in town today and I thought it was an answer to my prayers....well if it was, it must be a different prayer that is being answered. All I got was, "Our internships are already full, you should have tried months ago," (Duh, if I had known your company existed and that I would be moving out here months ago, I would have tried); or, "We aren't looking for temporary people, we want someone who will be here long term" (Again, not really my fault. I could lie to you, get the job, then leave you in 3 months, but that's not really my style); or my very favorite, "We are looking for people for our manufacturing plant and I'm not sure it's something you'd like" (You know, hard labor stuff. Working with machinery where I would be the only female, not to mention Mormon, and could get my hand cut off doesn't really appeal to me either). REALLY???? Nothing? This place was mostly hicks-ville and I was by far the best dressed person at this job fair (better than those who were looking for employees even) and I bet I am way more educated than most of those looking for jobs (but probably not the most humble). I was so frustrated that I drove around afterward bawling. I drove and drove (even into Nebraska a ways) and finally decided to stop at Riverside park (the place where they hold riverboat days in August).

     I felt at home at this park, since I had been there a few times before. Everyone I passed said "Hi," and smiled. (Side note: People in this community are remarkably friendly for not being Mormon. Gasp! Did I just say that? Yeah, I did. I guess until today I had a subconscious thought that non-Mormon people were less friendly and harder to get along with. This thought doesn't surprise me, honestly, that's what my life has been in the bubble. Obviously that was an incorrect thought and I am glad that I have figured out that other people can be nice to strangers too.) Anyways, while I was walking and trying to calm myself down, it dawned on me how beautiful the weather was. It has been gray and rainy almost everyday since we got here and I was so excited about the weather that I forgot about my self-pity. I snapped some pictures on my phone (so they aren't the best quality, sorry) and decided to share some.

The park is right next to the Missouri river and it is sooooo full right now! But, it was so quiet and peaceful there. 

I learned a lot of stuff there too. :)

Little house monument that is there. 

I'm not sure what this is........

It was so bright and pretty that I decided to take a random picture looking up at the trees. 

When I got home from my very nice relaxing walk, I found that I had an email for an interview with Macy's. So, moral of the story, calm down and everything will be ok. :) Ok, so maybe not always. However, I think there is a lot to be said for setting aside our worries and taking time to marvel at the beautiful world that is around us.