Thursday, May 26, 2011

Disaster Hits Home!

No photos yet --- coming.

Yesterday was my 57th birthday -- and what a day it ended up being!

The forecast was for storms with a "moderate" risk for strong storms! Moderate???? We spent the entire evening until nearly midnight hunkered down in the hospital parking garage with tornadoes hitting all around.

First was the call from my Mom saying a tornado had hit 2 farms about 100 yards from them! Homes with extensive damage, barns destroyed and farm land ripped from the earth!

The sirens were blaring more than not and the storms came minute by minute, blowing up from no place. While we were in the parking garage the local police came inside and told us not to leave as a touch down had happened 1 block behind us and trees were flying right and left and falling to the ground.

Next came the report that a mobile home park just west of us had been hit and people were injured in the homes and in vehicles on the road. The road was closed.

The main street through town closed down due to trees being down.

The city just to the south of us was hit, homes and barns taken out and once again farm land obliterated.

It went on and on and on for what seemed to be endless hours. Text messages flying back and forth.

The Walmart that is less than one mile from our home is closed -- damage and semi trucks strewn in the parking lot.

The stories keep coming in -- none good -- but no deaths to report thus far.

Reality can really bite sometimes --- and this was a taste of disaster reality that was way too close to home!

We all live with the attitude that "it won't happen to me" and "those kinds of things happen elsewhere" but last night changed those thoughts for everyone around here and nearly all over the entire state of Indiana!

We are thankful that it wasn't worse. We are thankful for the Lord's protection. We are thankful for life itself -- a bit more today than yesterday.

And I am thankful that I have added another year to my life! I won't look at my birthday quite the same ever again!!!!

Until next time . . . it's a new day -- one the Lord made. Let's rejoice! Really rejoice!
Susan and Monty

1 comment:

Treasures from a shoebox said...

So glad you are both safe!

I was at my Dad's a mile away (it was my evening to cook and clean for him) and Terry was not yet home when round 1 hit. The girls spotted a tornado heading for our house (probably the one that hit Bedford a bit before) and they were able to get everyone into the cellar (which is accessible only from outside). Round 2 hit after 10 and lasted till after midnight. Praise the Lord for His protection!