More than 60,000 homes were damaged in the flood of August 2016, and since then, some fortunate families have already managed to rebuild their old abodes, once again safe and secure—and maybe even improved—between the walls they love. After dealing with insurance claims, contractors and adjusters, not to mention paint colors and hardware, three of theses families sat down with us to talk about the reconstruction process and their focus on the future.

From Paige and Alan Colby reimagining their Prairieville home into something that ultimately is a better fit for their family, to the McIntyre family’s near-exact replication of the pond-side home they knew and loved, and Olivia and Scott Huffstetler rebuilding their Denham Springs home from the bottom up, each story takes a positive spin on tragedy, resulting in a fresh start even more beautiful than before.

To see more photos and details, check out the cover story of the May issue of inRegister, available on newsstands now.