I've long refused to believe that we had any part of that seemingly disastrous alley. No way, I'd say. Nah not us. Nope, that's the other states.
Well last year I was proven devastatingly wrong! A tornado ripped and roared its way only 4 blocks away from my husband and his workplace.
I remember calling and calling him, and when he finally answered, I was relieved to hear his voice. I cried and cried as I tried to scream at him to take cover, that a twister was barreling towards him.
Thankfully he did, he told all of his crew what I told him and what the weather man had told me. They all took cover in a small basement that houses all of the boilers and equipment.
He and his workers were stunned to see the complete devastation that the tornado caused in the neighborhood that literally neighbors their company.
He told me how heart wrenching the drive home was.
We all held each other really close that night and counted our blessing and prayed for all of the families who were not as lucky.
Tonight almost one year later, we watch NBC nightly news special about the tremendously devastating EF 5 that hit out neighboring state of Oklahoma.
I have a couple of friends who have moved only miles away from the disaster area that was Moore Oklahoma. I worried and worried for them. I have since heard from them, they are fine. They lost a few of their friends and they have friends who lost everything. And once again I count my blessings.
I have had a newfound respect for tornado alley and realize now that, yes, I do live in that crazy alley. I realized it even more today as I drove to my children's schools to get them home before the forecasted severe wether headed towards my little Texas town.
The line of parents waiting to sign their child or children out early was long and quiet. I'm sure they were afraid, just I was, and I'm sure they held the burning images of the destroyed Oklahoma elementary schools in their minds.
Those two elementary schools that held many many frightened, tiny, innocent children. Children who were crying and afraid. Children who held on to walls with their fingertips so they wouldn't be ripped away by the twister.
Im sure we were all thinking of the children who came out from under the rubble of what was once their safe place. The children who were pulled out and were nothing but a tiny lifeless shell. Children who are still buried beneath the rubble tonight.
As I signed my daughter out and forced a smile at my neighbors and even good friends, I walked into the pouring rain not knowing if a tornado would release its wrath on us as well.
It's only been 24 hours since the Oklahoma catastrophe happened. It was totally possible, but thankfully I sit here listening to my youngest two children causing their own havoc upstairs. The rain has since stopped and the sun has even peeked out a few times. Again, I count my blessings.
I am out of words now. I saw the news clips and videos of the heart break. AllI can do is count my blessing, again.
I know there's not much I can do from my home in Texas, but then again, there is...
I can and will call the Red Cross and make a donation to help these people on Moore Oklahoma. And so can you.
If you're reading this and understand the utter devastation isn't just an Oklahoma problem, or even a United States problem, it's a human problem... The please call the Red Cross number below and give what you can, you can be saving yet another life.
Thank you. And God speed Oklahoma!
Texas has you in it's prayers!
http://www.redcross.org/ok/oklahoma-city
