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By Patrick Metzger, Carrington With a natural disaster on the verge two hours away, I never thought I would be affected much by it. It was the spring of 1997, and the Red River in Grand Forks was quickly rising. My sister, Jennifer, and her husband, Jamison, were living in Grand Forks at the time. For days on end the river kept rising, and nobody was sure of when it would eventually stop. Jennifer and Jamison spent numerous long nights of sandbagging and patrolling dikes along the Red River in Grand Forks, not knowing what would happen or what was to come. One night while they were out helping, sirens began to sound. A main dike had busted and the infamous Red River Flood of 1997 began to overtake Grand Forks. They quickly made it to their apartment and began to pack. They left Grand Forks in the middle of that Friday night for Carrington with only their clothes and a few important possessions. When I returned from a high school track meet that Saturday afternoon, the atmosphere in our house was one that I had never seen before. Everyone in my family was sitting around watching the news, which was entirely about the flood in Grand Forks. There was almost a scared aura in the room. The only other time I have ever gotten that feeling was when I walked into a room at the Memorial Student Union at NDSU after class and saw the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy. For the next month, my world was turned upside down. Jennifer and Jamison were just married the summer before, so I was forced to give up my room to them when they moved home. It wasn't a big problem, but it wasn't some- thing I would have predicted happening a week before. Our house became a much busier place with two more people in the house, but it was nice to see more friendly faces when I came home at night. Our living room was instantly transformed into another office. Jamison had his desk, computer, and the rest of his office all set up in the room. I vividly remember coming home one day and finding the entire floor covered with resumes, cover letters, and his job applications for teaching positions all over the country. With them coming back and living with us, it seemed like the clock had been rolled back five years to when our house was so full and busy with all of my brothers and sisters at home in high school. It was kind of nice in a way, though. Jamison and I had always been close, but with him home for that month we spend much more time together. Whether it was outside shooting baskets or playing golf on his computer, we always found time to have fun together. He had always been like another big brother to me, and it was great having him home for so long. Of course, it was fun having my sister home, as well. Towards the end of their month at home, they began to grow tired of it, just as anyone would after being forced from their home and into their parents' basement. I, on the other hand, had become accustomed to having them around. It was sad to see them leave and go back to Grand Forks after the water receded. Yet, we all were glad for them that things would soon return to normal. Although the house was always full and things had changed, that month during the spring was fun for me. I never had a problem finding something to do because there were always people at home, and it was great to see Jen- nifer and Jamison for so long. I realized that spring how much family really means to me and how much I enjoy spending time with them. At first, a raging river causing them to move home and take my room seemed like a bit of a hassle. But it turned out to be the exact opposite. It was a blessing in disguise for our family that brought all of us a little closer and made us appreciate each other a little more. 26 North Dakota Water ■ May 2005