Tornado 2013...

This is our big front yard.

It looks more like a forest now.

 

On Monday 03-18-13

our home & property were hit by a tornado.

It was by far one of the scariest things I've

ever gone through.

 

A tree through the roof.

 

Trees, trees, trees everywhere.

 

I had been at the hospital for several days with my little

foster girl. Our homecare nurse called and offered

to come up to the hospital to give me a break.

I had decided I would take her up on that

and I decided to come home for the evening to

see my family.

 

Little did I know what was ahead...

 

I left the hospital, and had a great ride home.

I had my favorite Christian radio station playing

and I was just singing my little heart out

and praising God.

 

On the way through Dallas, I noticed the sky looked

a little dark and it had started to sprinkle a little,

but just as soon as I got on the south side

of the county the sun

started shining so bright. I actually

looked up to see if there was a rainbow.

 

The radio had not said anything about

how bad the weather was going to be. I had no idea.

I had been in the hospital with Bry and

she always makes me watch cartoons all day.

So I had not seen any weather reports.

So I didn't have a clue.

 

I pulled up at home and thankfully my daughters

had both parked in the driveway, so I decided to park

right next to the house/ front door because I had so much

stuff from Atlanta that I needed to get out of my van.

Had they not parked where they did their cars

would have been crushed.

Had I not parked where I did,

my van would have been crushed

and most likely I wouldn't have made it in

my house in time.

 

As I stepped out of my van,

I felt a gust of wind.

No rain. No hail, No train sounds like

people say they hear in tornadoes.

Nothing but a gust of wind caught my attention.

I looked out toward the subdivision beside us

and just as I did I saw the trees start falling  

and they all started falling toward this way.

 I could hear them snapping like toothpicks  

and instantly I just knew.
I didn't even have time to think.

I just started running.

I got through the front door and screamed

that a tornado was coming.

I told the kids to run to the basement.

As quick as I screamed, Katie & Ashley started

grabbing up kids.

I thought they had my baby (BB)

but he had been left rolling in the den floor.

By the time I got back to the den,

grabbed BB, got down to the basement,

dropped to my knees and started praying, it was over.

It was less than one minute from start to finish.

I know without a doubt that God heard my prayer.

I know he protected us that day.

The whole right side of our property was damaged.

The whole left side was also damaged

but our little house was still standing.

It has scars from the storm

but it was still standing,

and we are all ok.
 

It took off the back part of our shop.

That is the roof on the ground
and the sides are completely gone.

 

 

It picked up things and moved them

from one side of the yard to the other.

I can't even imagine if I had brought Bry

home that day from the hospital because

I wouldn't have even had time to have gotten her

out of her carseat and into the house in time

and I would have never left her, so I'm thankful

that plans changed that day and they kept her longer.

 

Our playground was destroyed.

 

 

 

The trees fell so close to our cars

but thankfully none were damaged.

 

As bad as it was

it could have been so much worse.

We are thankful that God

was watching over us that day.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him,and he will direct thy paths. ~Proverbs 3:5-6