It’s about 10 a.m. and I find myself in an airport in Denver. I’ve been here for at least 2 hours and won’t leave for another hour or so. I’ve been awake and traveling since 3 a.m. I am tired and still shocked by the fact I am even here at all.

No, I am not on a highly anticipated spring break getaway I’ve been planning for months. Just yesterday at this time I was enjoying my day off and planning a trip of different sorts: to the mall. Instead I ended up with a trip to Fargo, North Dakota. I’ve been deployed. It’s my first disaster and it’s a big one. The Red River is near its crest- levels that haven’t been seen in over 112 years. I’ve read the news, seen the blogs, and yet I still have no idea what to expect. MSN is reporting that thousands are fleeing the city, so it only seems fitting that I am headed in quite the opposite direction. I will be there by 3 p.m.   

It’s funny how your life can change in a split second. For me- a very unspontaneous person if there ever was one, certainly did not foresee my adventure to Fargo. And while I was certainly caught off guard…perplexed how I could possibly stop what I was doing, reschedule my much needed haircut, and miss my grandma’s birthday… … I am thankful that a few calendar adjustments during my one week assignment are the biggest changes I’ve had to endure. As I read the news articles in preparation for Fargo, I think of all of the people whose lives have changed drastically since the river began to rise. And in one split second, one levee breach, it could be even worse. So if it means putting my life on hold for a week to help save the lives of a whole town…I think it is more than worth it.

The weather is cold and the anticipation nerve-wracking.

I will keep you posted. Look for my Fargo updates here and on the national Red Cross site. 

Lindsey

P.S. On a side note, I saw AEDs in several locations around the Denver airport. It was comforting to know a little piece of the Red Cross is with me wherever I go:)