Most Lawrence Countians can only imagine the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, but for Ironton natives Bill and Cheryl Hughes and their son, Nathan Edwards, the aftermath of Katrina is real - very real.

They lost nearly everything they owned when Katrina's floodwaters ravaged their New Orleans apartment. Now, they find themselves back in Ironton with Cheryl's parents, Charles and Avanelle Robinson, thankful they are safe but sorrowful about what has happened in their adopted city.

The Hugheses moved from Deltona, Fla., to New Orleans two years ago so that Bill, who had been called to preach, could attend New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. When talk began of Hurricane Katrina, the Hughes weren't worried.

"We had been in Florida 14 years before that and we were aware of what could happen and we knew what to do to prepare," she said. "But New Orleans is a different setting. It's in a bowl. We never had to evacuate in Florida."

The Sunday before Katrina hit, they left New Orleans for the safety of Houston, taking a few personal items and their pets: A rabbit and three cockatiels.

"We packed for about three days because we didn't think we'd be gone long," Cheryl said. "We expected wind damage and we would have been fine if the levies had not broken."

But the levies did break and the displaced family found themselves watching news coverage on television, trying to keep track of friends on the Internet and praying for the best outcome of a bad situation.

"We didn't know for a week if the water had gotten into our apartment," Bill said. "We found out last Sunday our apartment has five feet of water in it."

Cheryl said what they haven't lost to flood waters they will probably lose to mold once the flood waters recede.

"The hardest part is finding out you don't have a home to go to," she said.

"Everything we've worked for all our adult lives is gone."

The photographs, Nathan's high school medals, treasures that were part of their past is now gone with the winds and water.

They are thankful that the people of Houston opened their hearts to them and to other evacuees, and they are thankful also to Ironton area people and businesses that have done the same, particularly their fellow Christians at First Baptist Church of Ironton, who have stepped forward with words of comfort and monetary assistance.

And in the meantime, they wait. Bill said it may be 3 to 5 years before the New Orleans seminary is at full capacity again, and a year before it is operational. They may move to an extended campus in Atlanta, Ga., while repairs are made to the New Orleans campus.

Both said in spite of their losses, there are silver linings to the clouds that carried a storm their way: They know God watches over them, and this experience may draw them closer together and make them more aware of the important things in life, such as their family and their faith.

They hope others who have lived through Hurricane Katrina will find their own lives closer to the will of God.

"God is still in control," Cheryl said. "We may have lost everything but we have each other."