Picking Up the Pieces

Picking up the pieces of our town is going to take a LONG time.  The devastation is unbelievable and like nothing I have ever seen or been a part of.  I really can't comprehend how we can recover and rebuild.  This tornado wiped out some of our busiest areas of town and some of our most charming historic neighborhoods.  It wiped out areas where college students live, and lots of places we shop and eat.  Two elementary schools were completely destroyed and one part of town, Alberta City, is quite literally wiped off the map.  It's a poor area of town and the stories coming out of there are incomprehensible.  University of Alabama canceled finals and postponed graduation.  It's a sad way for the seniors to end their time here at the Capstone. 

President Obama toured the devastation today in Tuscaloosa.  He said "This is something I don't think anyone has seen before."   Over 40 deaths in our town alone and something around 200 throughout the state.  As I watch videos, scroll through pictures, and even as I got to go out into the mess today, I have been moved to tears.  I feel so helpless and even questioning, why this part of town and not mine?  I am thankful and feel more than blessed that our house and neighborhood and area of town just a few miles from the ruins are perfectly fine.  I am proud of our mayor (and across the street neighbor) and his leadership.  He is trusting the Lord as he gives direction and hope to our city.

Seeing the destruction and watching the tornado live on the internet as we sat huddled in our closet not knowing where it would hit was sobering.  It has reminded me of the almighty and powerful God who commands the wind and the rain.  It reminds me that life is but a vapor and our things can be turned to rubble in an instant.  So why do we put so much hope in those things?

Our prayer is that this tragedy and this storm would point us to the ultimate hope we have in Christ.  Please continue pray for us as we figure out how to provide and organize relief for those who need it and as we seek to build our city back.  It's going to be a long long journey.

I keep thinking of the Chris Tomlin song "God of This City"....

You’re the Light in this darkness
You’re the Hope to the hopeless
You’re the Peace to the restless

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City

As you know, we are not the only part of our state that has been hit.   Many many many other towns were hit with tornadoes.  In fact, Jennifer (Jeff's sister) and Buddy and sweet baby Davis had some damage done to their house Wednesday morning before the big storms came through.  A tornado came right by their house and made most of the trees around them fall down.  One fell into their house and caused quite a bit of damage.  They are totally fine, but will have quite a bit of clean up themselves to do.


Here are the pictures from our time out and about today.  Jeff spent all of yesterday helping our friends Justin and Alana salvage what they could from their town home, and I was anxious to get out today. We helped a family from our church whose home was destroyed and just walked around taking it all in. 

We also had Obama's caravan ride right past us as they drove down to Alberta City to see the destruction there...

This used to be Big Lots...

 

Our friends and co-workers, Justin and Alana Karl were interviewed on Fox News.  They lost most of their possessions, cars, and the town home they were renting so they are staying with us now.  

This was a popular hamburger joint (with very popular sweet tea I might add) called Milos...

Churches and people coming together to provide relief are amazing.  This church just brought all kinds of grills and food out to the middle of all the devastation and began cooking for victims and relief workers.  Restaurants that weren't totally destroyed brought all the food they had left but couldn't use.
Pretty sweet!

A beautiful neighborhood, Forest Lake, was completely destroyed. This is where our friends from church lived and who we helped today.

The Cedar Crest area off of 15th Street was just decimated.  This is where our friends Justin and Alana lived and some students we know.

An unbelievable view of the main drag through Tuscaloosa, McFarland Blvd.  Just surreal to see the ruins.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1

Mass Destruction

If you watch the news, then you may have heard we had a major storm (f4 or f5 tornado) come through Tuscaloosa today.  It was scary and the devestation is unbelievable.  I was moved to tears when the first pictures started popping up on facebook.  Thankfully, our house and area of town are perfectly fine...but less than 2 miles down the street it's literally like a bomb was dropped.  It's an area of town I frequent almost daily.  The CVS, Krispy Kreme, Big Lots, Milos, Hobby Lobby, Taco Casa, gas stations, and more are rubble.  Homes are destroyed and lives have been lost.  Cell service is really bad right now, but I wanted to let everyone know who checks in here that we are okay.  Many of our friends, however, are not.  They have lost homes and cars. Our friends and co-workers have lost nearly everything and will be staying with us tonight (and for however long they need to). 

Please pray for our city.  Tuscaloosa will not be the same for a long time.  Thankfully,  we take comfort that God is still on His throne and He is Sovereign. 

Here is a video of where 15th Street meets McFarland...the heart of Tuscaloosa really.

The Girls Room

Ellie Kate and Abigail's room is a work in progress.  It will work for now and I'm happy that they are doing so well with sharing.  It's so sweet to hear them talk at night and it's so much easier now that they are together! 

I envision this room to evolve a bit as I save some money and buy them new beds and hopefully paint the dreadful walls (color is bad and there are lots of holes).  I really want white iron beds or my sweet aunt has offered to let me borrow some cute little platform type beds that she is not using (we just have to figure out a way to get them here cheaply).  Anyway, for now it's fine and the girls love it which is all that really matters.   That said, I HATE BUNK BEDS but we are just working with what we had already.  They are a big pain to change the sheets when needed (which is sometimes several nights in a row if one of the girls has an accident) and the color is not what I would choose for a girls room.   Their bedding is so cute (it's Pottery Barn stuff that I bought on sale and used some of their Christmas money for) and you just can't see it real well in this current set up.  However, the bunk beds are fun for them now and it enables them to go to sleep easier at night since they can't see each other.

Easter Weekend!

Last Easter was not good (you can read about it HERE), but it taught me a lot about expectations and wrongly placed hope. This year, I am so thankful that we got to celebrate this holy weekend without a hitch! Well, besides the fact that Abigail's potty training has gone south and I haven't had the best attitude about it. Thankfully, it has led me to One I desperately need each and every day for hope, forgiveness, right perspective, etc.

We enjoyed a full weekend of activities.  I had a last minute little easter party on Friday at my house for some friends and their kids.  It went pretty well considering there were 5 boys and 4 girls running around INSIDE (it was still too wet and muddy) our house. 

Saturday, we got to work in our backyard.  Our yard is pretty pitiful because we have an insane amount of pine trees (probably more than 30) which leads to lots of nice shade...but tons of roots and dead spots where grass won't grow.  We are slowly going to cut down some trees and try to get it looking a bit better.  The first step was to fill in an area in the backyard that was all dirt and roots.  It looks amazing and we are proud of our hard work!  This is a phone pic, but you can sort of get the idea:).

Sunday, we worshiped at church and had some friends over for Easter lunch.  I just did easy stuff...chicken salad, fruit salad, chips, and drinks.  My friend Alana brought a yummy dessert! Also, my parents came for an impromptu visit which was really nice.  We hadn't planned on them coming, but were so glad they did!  One of the hardest things about moving to Alabama has been that we are further away from them.  Anyhow...it was a full weekend and I am just overflowing with gratitude for my Savior. 

Easter is one of my favorite holidays because we do just focus on the good news of the Gospel...it's something I try to focus on all the time, but there is something about Easter that just renews my heart and soul for the One who has pulled my life from the pit.  It's also a favorite holiday for us because we usually stay HOME and I actually get to host for once:)!!! 

 Thanks to DeDe (Jeff's mom) for the beautiful Easter outfits on my kids:)!!!

HE IS RISEN!!!!

Good Friday

"It was my sin that held him there, until it was accomplished. 
His dying breath has brought me life. 
I know that it is finished."  
~ Stuart Townsend How Deep The Fathers Love For Us

On a day where I have seen my sin clearly...where the yuck of my heart has been displayed... 

I am grateful it is finished. 

He died to give me life.  I'm so glad Sunday is coming.  I need resurrection.  I need the wild love of Christ each and every day to set me free from the depths of my deep and darkened flesh that wants only to serve itself. 

I am grateful that nothing but HIS blood can make me whole.

Jeff taught this song to Abigail one night and it has since become a favorite bedtime hymn that stills my soul.  I cherish hearing these tiny voices singing such beautiful truth and it ministers deep down to the depths of myself where I need it preached to the most...

Winner, Ballerina, and an Update

Last weekend, Samuel had his boy scout Pinewood Derby car race.  We waited until the very last minute to get his little car ready so we didn't have high hopes for him to do well like he did last year (he won his age group).

Well, lo and behold, car number 40 did so good again!!!  He won his age group for the 2nd year in a row!!!!!!  I guess Jeff is good at making derby cars:).  Samuel was so excited!  He also ended up 5th overall against much older boys who have been doing this awhile.

The only thing we need to work on is the appearance of his car.  It was pretty simple this year much to my dismay.  This creative mama WILL spend some more time helping it look cool next year. 

 

 

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Ellie Kate wants to be a ballerina so bad.  Dance lessons here are crazy expensive so we haven't done any yet but she loves to dress up in this costume a little girl from our church gave her from one of her recitals.  Ellie Kate has a few ballerina books that she studies intently to learn how to dance like they do.  I love the unashamed way a child like Ellie Kate performs and is free to express herself.  She danced for me like this for at least half an hour while Abigail napped the other day. 

 

 

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POTTY TRAINING UPDATE

Abigail has done great!!! She only had 2 accidents yesterday, stayed dry during her nap and last night.  She hasn't gone number 2 yet and she seems to hold going to the potty until the very last minute...but she has got the concept and I am so thankful that she is proving to be easier than her strong willed big sis.  I still HATE potty training.  I'm glad Abigail is more of a rule follower because I think once we get it, she will be able to stay dry at night too (unlike EK who just now stopped wearing pull ups at night).  I had to go upstairs after bedtime last night about 6 times because she kept wanting to go potty.  She finally did about 9:45 pm.  Frustrating, but good for her to understand! I would say day 1 was a big success!!!!