MARCH TORNADO IN ALABAMA
As promised before my computer met the Grim Reaper, I want to share some pictures of the tornadoes that rolled through my community on Friday, March 2nd. This particular tornado was close to my daughter and it eventually hit a local High School. All students were safe but damage to the building was extensive. After last April 27th, students take the weather very seriously and teachers report you could hear a pin drop in the halls. The student bodies range from 750 all the way to 2300 in the 5 High Schools and in every one, the silence was deafening pierced only by the sound of flying debris and the roof being blown off. Can you imagine the terror those students and teachers felt?
This tornado hit my son's place of business, 5 miles from my home.
How would you like to see this roaring straight toward you?
My son's boss was sitting at this desk when the tornado hit! He and my son saw the tornado coming but unlike my son who got in his car and ran to the church basement next door basement, Billy went BACK to work thinking he was invincible. A second storm came through after this one, and Billy ran with another co-worker and secretary outside to lay down in a culvert with 4-5 inches of standing water AND 165 mph wind! He said he had never been more afraid in his life and thought to himself, "What a stupid way to die!" He had been warned and chose to ignore the warning.
God got his attention...FINALLY!!!
We have fussed at Billy for years about his indifference to tornado watches and warnings.
You saw this picture of the Storm PIT last week.
Don't you love the wet floor?? This is a PIT I tell ya!! I hate it!
NEWS FLASH...Mr. Gmama is drawing up plans for a NEW STORM SHELTER!!
I'm sitting on the bench right across from the Grandpeeps here. We have an extra kiddo...my granddaughter's best friend had to come home with her because her mother, a teacher, was chaperoning cheerleaders to the State Basketball Tournament. Can you feel the WORRY that Mama had knowing she couldn't be with her child during a severe storm and have to rely on a friend to make sure your child gets to safety?? One of the most important Mommy Fear's as the children grew up was my need for the family to be together in ONE PLACE during Tornado outbreaks. If one was going to be blown away, by Golly, we were ALL going!!
BFF's
That's my Storm Story for now...
Spring has just begun and the long range prediction is for my neck of the woods to have a high number of tornado outbreaks...
Till next time...
BLESSINGS
Iwent to college in 'tornado alley' years ago - I still shake when I hear a siren. All you lovely blogging friends are in our hearts and prayers when we hear of these storms. Our community is still trying to recover from Irene.
ReplyDeleteThose are some heart-stopping photos, Gmama Jane. Praying that the predictions will not come true.
ReplyDeleteYou know how Ron is about storms and he and I were at Lowes on N Pkwy as those came roaring through that morning? And where were my children?? At school of course! Talk about serious praying going on in Lowes!
ReplyDeleteI do still remember the first time we were in "the pit" and Anna Laura couldn't come home because she was at work at the hospital and how worried you were.
I also remember the first time I EVER had to go down there and I had basically decided that y'all were going to have to take the baby down with you cause I wasn't going. You started talking to me and we were walking and good grief the next thing I knew I was in "the storm pit"! Lol!
Bless all of your hearts. I am glad to learn you are safe. I will keep you all in my heart! Stay safe - take no chances.
ReplyDeleteThe very nature that I love for its beauty and mystery, is so powerful and unpredictable. We had two good sized quakes yesterday just in cast we were beginning to feel a bit "ho-hum". A cell-phone warning going off a few seconds before hardly gives you time to shut off the gas.
ReplyDeletePlease do stay safe. Prayers fly Eastward.
I'm glad you are all safe...
ReplyDeleteSuch a scary time Jane - tornadoes take away all of our control over our own circumstances and leave us without any confidence about taking care of ourselves. They not only leave us physically devastated, but mentally as well. I'm so glad you might get a new storm shelter! blessings, marlene
ReplyDeleteSo glad your family is safe. We had some very bad tornados here in KY too. We were fortunate that they said away from us, but eastern KY was hit hard.keep staying safe.
ReplyDeleteThank God you all survived those storms. Our farm was hit by a tornado when I was 7. The house survived (all windows broken), but a cow shed and the barn roof were gone and we lost many trees. Terrifying. My kids thought I was a bit overzealous in rushing everyone to the basement when the tornado sirens sounded, but after my son did volunteer cleanup work after a tornado devastated a small town, he apologized for giving me a hard time all those years about herding them to the basement!
ReplyDeleteWell, we are no stranger to twisters here (not quite to the level you are, but). Here we are more flood (I live on the Iowa/Illinois border with THREE major rivers around us) You know, I am of the opinion, better safe than sorry!!!!! I will keep you in our prays to once again make it safe through this trying season!!
ReplyDeleteGood grief Jane. You just don't think anything could be that destructive? Have never been in a state or country where I saw one....We have high winds but really no damage anywhere like this,,,(God bless you all)
ReplyDeletewow those are some scary pictures. I am glad to hear that you are all safe!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is way too scary! I am so glad everyone is OK.
ReplyDeleteWhat a scary, scary thing....I look at that picture and if I saw that thing heading towards me the first thing I would do is pee my pants as I ran screamning to the nearest shelter....holy cow! Glad your son made it thru safe.........
ReplyDeleteStay safe Jane. Hope the storm season is short.
ReplyDeleteI remember those storms when I lived in Kansas and will never ever forget. We've even had a couple here in NY. Glad everyone is ok and I sure hope Billy will be much smarter the next time.
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