August 29th, 2005, the day that would change my whole world. My family and I lived in Metairie, Louisiana. We lived in Jumonville subdivision and had a great neighborhood group. All the kids would play together, going from house to house. We would ride bikes, chase after the ice-cream truck, play hide and seek, etc. We played outside almost every day and had so much fun. I was in fourth grade at St. Louise de Marillac school. My two sisters went to Mount Carmel, an eighth grader and a sophomore. Everything was going great until one day we found out that a hurricane was coming and we had to evacuate. I barely remember this because it was so long ago. All I remember is being in the car about to leave, when my neighbor Mrs. Ronda walks over. Her and my mom are talking and Mrs. Rhonda starts to cry. I didn't understand what was wrong. We were just evacuating for a few days and then we'd be back home, no big deal. Little did I know, that was the last time I would see my house the way it was.

First we went to my grandparents house in Folsom. The news was constantly on the tv. There wasn't much to do besides sit and wait. When it was announced that the storm was getting worse and heading this way, we packed up and went to Tennessee. We stayed with my dad's brother and his family. We usually only get to see them once a year at Christmas time, so it was exciting to go up there and spend time with them. Me, my sister, and my cousin had so much fun together. We played outside, jumped on the trampoline, swam in their pool, etc. We weren't worried about anything, or at least I wasn't. It was weird because my cousins still had school while my sisters and I didn't. We could pretty much do whatever we wanted all day and it was great.

As the weeks passed by, my parents were considering putting us in school in Tennessee. Since my sisters were already in high-school, I would be going to a different school than them. My parents and I looked at a school in Tennessee and I remember feeling really weird about it. I didn't know anyone there. I don't even remember what the school was called. I remember trying on uniforms, which was even weirder. Overall, I didn't like it. Thankfully, my parents decided not to send me there. We weren't exactly sure how long it was going to be for the storm to pass, but they decided not to send me to school yet.

Odd enough, we were at Piccadilly when we got the news. Someone called my dad and told him that we got flooded. Seven to eight feet of water rushed through my neighborhood. I was only ten years old at the time, so I really didn't understand what was going on. It didn't seem real, and I didn't fully believe it. In my ten year old mind, I was thinking that our house got flooded, the water will eventually come out, then we'll move back in. I couldn't grasp the concept, so I didn't really think anything of it. I was just really confused.

We eventually packed up our stuff again and moved back to Louisiana, but not to our home. We moved in with my aunt and her family in Covington. They had one tree that fell through their house. It only affected their upstairs office and everything else was untouched. We were only staying here until we could find a house to move into. Throughout all of this I was confused and wondering when we were going to move back home. We eventually did find a house to rent in Northpark subdivision in Covington. We were only renting, and the owners left everything in the house: picture frames, silverware, toys, books, etc. That made it very strange to live in because it felt like we were living in someone else's home, and we were. This was a really difficult time for all of us. We were separated from our neighbors and friends. We were living in some random family's house. We knew we wouldn't be going home.

We soon had to come to terms with the fact that we had to start over. I started school at St. Peter's and my sisters started at our new school. I started school with two people that I knew from my old school. Being there was really weird and scary. We didn't know anyone or our way around the school. When we walked into our first class, all the students were holding up signs they had made to welcome us. It was a nice gesture, but it still wasn't that comforting. Most of the other students didn't fully understand what had happened either. Everyone else was happy and going on with their lives while we felt lost and out of place. I don't remember much from this time except that it took a lot of getting used to. I do specifically remember my friend and I crying in the counselor's office.

My older sister was even more distraught. Emily was just starting high school in eighth grade when Katrina hit. So not only was it scary to be starting high school, but she didn't know anyone either and it was a huge adjustment. A school counselor, Mrs. Pettavino, helped her every single day. Emily would spend so much time sitting and talking with Mrs. Pettavino. She was very upset for a long time, we all were. But, as time went on, things did get easier.

My family eventually went back to my house to gut it. I guess they thought I was too young to see and do this because I didn't go. I did go back once it was gutted. It was so strange. The entire first floor was just destroyed and dirty. The waterline ends in the middle of the stairs. Once you walk up the stairs, everything is untouched; in perfect condition. The second floor thankfully did not get flooded, which was where my room was. It felt so odd to be in my room again. It was exactly how I left it. I walked around to look at everything one last time. It was sad to be there and to know that I wouldn't be able to live there ever again. I would have to officially leave my childhood home behind only to have as a memory. After gathering some things we could salvage, we left and went back to Covington.

My sisters really started to love our new school. My mom gave them the option of continuing to go to Mount Carmel or to stay. She was shocked when they both wanted to stay. I graduated from St. Peter's in 7th grade and made so many friends from the time I came. It wasn't the best school experience, but I managed. By the time I was starting in 8th grade, Amanda had already graduated, and Emily was a senior. I didn't even think about Katrina at this point. I didn't feel like a new student or out of place. School soon felt like home, and it was good to have my sister there for one year.

Now, as I sit and think back, I wouldn't want to change anything. Of course going through being forced out of our home and starting a new life was extremely hard. But if it wasn't for Katrina, I would've never met the people that I know today. I met some really great people that I can't imagine my life without. I still sometimes miss my house and my neighbors. I still think about how my life would have been different if the storm wouldn't have happened. But, it's not the end of the world. It happened, it's over, and I had to accept it and move on. I have a great life now with great people in it. Sometimes it takes a traumatic experience like Hurricane Katrina to make you appreciate everything you have, because you really never know when it could be gone.