4.27.11

So it's been a month since our beloved little (93,000) college town was ravaged by a devastating F-4 tornado.  I feel like I'm just beginning to catch my breath.  Like I have said in countless posts before, this is a long term recovery effort so I know I might not truly catch a full breath for a long time to come and that's okay.   I'm still not used to driving up on the devastation.  I still think weekly, "I need to run to Hobby Lobby to get so and so"...and then remember that there is no more Hobby Lobby.  I've become invested emotionally, physically, and mentally with a sweet single mom and her baby and it's like I have 2 more family members to care for.   I know God has called me to it and I am so privileged to have been welcomed into her life no questions asked.  She even listed me as family on her daycare form that she filled out yesterday.  I look forward to all the Lord does in and through this unlikely friendship.

Today, I wanted to try and write out the way we experienced April 27.  I haven't really done that yet, and I don't want to forget the details of that day so here goes...

At 5:05 am we were awakened by an intense thunderstorm with a lightning show like we had never seen.  The sky was literally one strike after another with barely a second between each strike.  We looked out the window and surprisingly the winds didn't seem too terribly strong.  Jeff went downstairs to see what James Span (who would prove to be the all star of the day) was forecasting.  You see, for days before April 27 weatherman all across Alabama were talking about the potential of bad weather.  We were prepared but at the same time a little leery because for the past two weeks we had tornado warning after tornado warning with no big storm actually occurring.  April in Alabama can be a rough time.  Anyway, even though the thunder and lightning were bad...it didn't seem like it was a bad storm so we went back to bed until our kids woke up at their usual bright and early time of 6:30 am.

School had been called off the night before.  This was such a smart thing for the city and county to do and I am so thankful for the wise foresight our school officials had.

After we got up, I checked my email on my phone and saw that Jeff's mom had emailed about his sister's house (in Birmingham) getting hit around 6:00 am with a small tornado.  It was the same line that had come through Tuscaloosa an hour earlier.  Thankfully they were okay, but their house was badly damaged from and will have to be rebuilt. 

So after the storms that morning, the day continued to warm up and conditions ripened for what the weatherman were saying could be a really bad day across Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.  It was just an ominous feeling around town.  Since the forecast was so bad, many businesses even decided to close early as well.  I had been homebound for about a week because of potty training Abigail and really wanted to run to Old Navy to use a coupon I had since I was leaving for a little beach weekend on Friday.  Jeff canceled most of his appointments for the day and warned the students he knew to watch the weather (college students are notorious for not caring or noticing weather warnings).  He got home around lunch time and I ran quickly down McFarland and through 15th Street to Midtown Village where Old Navy is.  It was eery.  There were not many people in the area and you could just feel the tension of the weather.   The sun was shining but the air was thick and it was still...too still. 

I got back home around 1:30pm maybe and there were already super cells all over the state and in Mississippi.  We didn't turn the tv off again the rest of the day.  Sometime around 2 ish, James Spann cut over to Cullman, Alabama and caught a big tornado on their tower cam.  We just sat riveted at the sight of a live tornado tearing through a town.  Little did we know...it would get worse.  Much worse.

After watching that tornado, we realized just how serious conditions were.  I gathered up helmets for the kids and cleared out our coat closet that is under our stairs.  I got my external hard drive, my file box of important papers, my purse, and my camera and put them into the closet as well.

I think it was around 4 or 4:30 when the skies began to get darker.  James Spann had been covering tornadoes and super cells that were all over Mississippi and we were ready as some of them began to enter the western parts of Alabama.

The warnings began to go off and we have a siren right outside our house thank goodness.  We got into our closet and closed the door.  Our dish satellite went out but James Spann has live stream on the internet so we watched it all unfold online (thank you AT&T dsl) in our closet.  This is what we watched with much trembling...




Fast forward to about 2 minutes and you will see the tornado begin to form.  I've never been more scared in my life.  At first, we weren't sure which direction the tornado was going to take.  I'm trying to text my mom and my hands are shaking.  I can barely text.   Tears are welling up in my eyes (they still do even today as I watch this video back because as of now, it's still so fresh and my stomach still drops as I see that funnel cloud). Jeff and I are both shaking.  Samuel is worried too, but the girls have no idea what's going on.  Samuel exclaims..."WE NEED TO PRAY!"  The problem is Jeff and I can't speak...so our sweet precious 8 year old boy cries out to our God for protection during the storm.  I cry just remembering that.  Oh, the faith of a child.

About 8 minutes into the video above (some amazing footage by the way if you haven't already seen it), we realize it's headed to the heart of our city around 15th and McFarland Blvd where I had just driven by a few hours earlier.  While we are thankful it doesn't seem to be heading our way, we know it's tearing up where friends, students, businesses, and so many places we visit almost daily are.

The hours after are a blur and we were in shock.  Cell towers had gone down so we weren't able to get through even with texts.  Every once in awhile we'd get a bar of service and about 5-10 texts would come through from friends and family checking on us.  We thankfully never lost power or internet so we just kept watching and waiting to hear what had happened to Tuscaloosa.  Jeff was frantically trying to get in touch with students and our co-workers who we knew lived right in the path of the storm.  We could hear sirens even at our house a few miles away.  Chaos abounded.  I kept checking facebook to see any updates.  Problem was a lot of people were without power and internet.  Jeff is trying to talk me into letting him leave to go into the madness and check on Justin and Alana.  We were so scared they were injured or worse.  As the reports came in of 15th Street being wiped out, we knew that they had most likely been hit.  I just couldn't let Jeff leave though.  The bad weather was still not over and we didn't know if there would be more tornadoes and plus we knew if it was as bad as they were saying, he wouldn't even be able to get very close to where they were.  He finally got in touch with some students who were going to just walk to their apartment and check on them.  Not long after that, a text finally came in from Alana saying they were fine, but had lost everything.  We were so sad for them.

As I continued to check facebook, I will never forget the first image that was posted.  I immediately bursted into tears realizing just how bad the devastation was.

This was a picture I took on April 29 but the picture I saw was of this general area with Hobby Lobby and Big Lots next to it completely destroyed

It was not a nightmare.  This was real and our city was not going to look the same for quite some time.

Justin and Alana arrived at our house about 10pm tired and shocked at what they had lived through.  We were so thankful to see their faces and happy to welcome them into our home for a few days.  I didn't end up getting to go on that beach trip, but of course that was the last thing on my mind!

The month since that fateful day have been days that I won't soon forget.  I've said it before, but I'm really proud to be from Tuscaloosa, Alabama and am looking forward to seeing our city come back even better than before!!!!

Some Updates

TORNADO...

I continue to stand amazed at our community and our state.  I have never been more proud to call Tuscaloosa and Alabama home...and that's saying a lot for this Georgia born girl!  God is truly bringing beauty from the ashes.  We have kept busy with relief efforts this week.  Our church's preschool program decided to open it's doors to some of the tornado victims children from 8am - 4pm.  Some days, we had as many as 30 kids take advantage of it!  We had volunteers bring snacks, diapers, lunches, drinks, clothes, toys, nap mats, and more.  We also had volunteers each day picking up and returning kids to shelters or devastated areas as well as just staying to help watch kids during the day at the church.  I wasn't up there all day every day, but I have been up there a lot and it has been so fun to love on these kids.  Thursday, I was overcome with emotion as I was returning 4 kids (5 and under) to the shelter where they were staying with their single mom.  The oldest 3 were crying because they didn't want to go back and I started crying because I just can't imagine the stress that they and their momma have been through.  I just was reminded anew...what do I seriously have to complain about?  I prayed through my tears and just gave those kids and their mom a big hug as I dropped them off.  By the end of the week, I was thoroughly emotionally worn out...and at the same time just so grateful for God continuing to use us and work miracles again and again in this disaster ravaged town. 

POTTY TRAINING...

Abigail had a rough 3-4 days of potty training when we first started.  I almost gave up...but thankfully I stuck with it and the day of the tornado it just sort of finally stuck.  Thank goodness...because the days since then have been so stressful and I am glad I didn't have to worry about her having accidents all the time. She has done great and is even mostly potty trained at night.  I still put her in a pull up but am thinking I won't have to for much longer.  She has been dry most every morning since we started this.  WOOHOO!  I guess this means I am officially out of the baby stage of parenting. 

SCHOOL...

I think we have finally decided to send Samuel to 2nd grade at his current school.  We feel like, at this point, that is the wisest decision so that we can truly get a feel for where he is academically, socially, emotionally, etc since this year was a year of retention.  I am fairly confident that after next year, I will homeschool him and I will use a lot of next year to look into curriculum's and also decide if I will homeschool the girls at the same time.

TODAY...

has been a nice quiet normal day and I almost feel guilty for it...but it was much needed.  We cleaned house (desperately needed it after over a week of neglect), played outside, and just enjoyed a relaxing beautiful day that the Lord gave us!

Perspective and Hope

Beauty.  Hope.  Courage.  Inspiration.  Grace.  Thanks. 

All of this I have already seen springing forth from the ashes of the Tuscaloosa Tornado.  The devastation remains.  The ruins are just as real today as they were 4 days ago.  Yet, here I am again seeing that sometimes, as hard as it is to understand, God can do some of His best work in the darkness.  The dark gives way to miracles.  We see this in the Cross.  Ann Voskamp says "The fullest life itself dawns from nothing but Calvary darkness and tomb-cave black into the radiance of Easter morning.  Out of the darkness of the cross, the world transfigures into new life."  And so, just as Jesus gave thanks and broke the bread before he went into the ultimate darkness for us, we give thanks here and now.   I see it from the rubble of the now decimated housing projects of Rosedale Courts to the streets of middle class Glendale Gardens and Forest Lake all the way across the railroad tracks into Alberta City.  People giving thanks.  Amidst the breathtaking horror, beauty is rising and miracles are happening right here.  We've seen the likes of President Obama, Charlie Sheen, Franklin Graham,  & Michael W. Smith all here in my city just within the first few days of aftermath.  Our Mayor quoting scripture on national television and leading us well.  Churches rallying.  University of Alabmaa students staying in town even though they are free to go home just so they can help and provide relief to those suffering. 

And I have my very own little miracles right here.  As I swing in my backyard in the early evening hours tonight, I am overwhelmed as I look at my home perfectly intact.  Flowers blooming.  Children playing.  The magnitude of what I have is overwhelming at a time like this.  Every day is grace overflowing.  Why do I get to walk away from the horror instead of living it?  I grab my camera and begin snapping.  I need to see beauty.  I need to create beauty.  I need to remember beauty even in the pain. 

My perspective has changed.  Suddenly, those white jeans I had been wanting don't seem so important.  I only hope it's permanent...but I know all too well how easily I will be moved to forget.   Ann Voskamp asks in her book 1000 Gifts, "Can it be, that which seems to oppose the will of God actually is used of Him to accomplish the will of God?  That which seems evil only seems so because of perspective, the way the eyes see the shadows."

Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has planned it?  

Amos 3:6  

Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand. 

Isaiah 14:24

In my finite mind, a tornado ripping apart my city would not be good.  And yet, here I stand...watching good.  Watching God bring redemption.  A city coming together.  I can only pray and hope it continues as the road we have to travel is long and hard. 

All I want to do is offer thanks and fall on my knees in worship as I watch my God at work in the city I love and call home...

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
   How unsearchable his judgments,
   and his paths beyond tracing out!
 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
   Or who has been his counselor?”
 “Who has ever given to God,
   that God should repay them?”
 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
   To him be the glory forever! 

Romans 11:33-36

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.