After three days of heavy, steady rain pounded the region, she watched the news on Monday and heard that floods were coming. She looked in the distance to see the Meramec creeping ever so slowly through the woods toward her mobile home. Yet she was confident that it would be safe.

Her landlord had erected a five-foot levee along the trailer park, she said. And she remembered a few years back when her home remained dry even though the river climbed to 38.5 feet.

She still took precautions, buying two tons of sand for $40 to fill 200 bags donated by the Fire Department to create a small barrier along the edge of the park of about 15 to 20 mobile homes.

It was not until late Monday night, when she saw the water lapping at her steps, heard it gurgling beneath the trailer and saw it engulfing an adjacent shed, that she started to think this was serious. And even then, it took a neighbor’s encouragement before she decided to leave.

So she disconnected her computers and packed whatever she could — boots, clothes — into four boxes and two suitcases. Her oldest son, who lives with her, stuffed all he could into two black rolling suitcases. They sent their Chinese pug, Jake, and their two cockatiels, Benny and Joon, off with friends. Whatever they could not remove, they stacked on beds and desks.