Status Update - We're OK

My phone rang unexpectedly yesterday morning.  It was my mom.  As soon as she heard my voice, she broke down into tears, which took me completely by surprise.  I seriously had no idea what could be causing her so much concern.  As soon as she caught her breath, she explained that the American news was placing Brisbane as the epicenter for the flooding on Australia's southeast coast.  I reassured her we were quite safe and nowhere near the flooding, which is the absolute truth.  We've been lucky.  Brisbane isn't underwater.  It hasn't experienced any of the flooding that has been devastating cities around us.  We, too, see the images on the news and are astounded by the extent of the damage.  Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced out of their homes and into emergency shelters.  Entire towns are completely submerged, and the water levels haven't even peaked yet.  It's scary stuff.  But it's all happening hundreds of kilometers north, south, and west of us.  We may be stuck in never-ending rainstorms, but we've managed to stay relatively dry.  So, don't worry about us.  We're OK.