Car was packed. Dogs were boarding. Husby was off work for 4 days. Four days of family time. Four days of not answering texts and phone calls. Four days of birthday celebrating, end of year field trips, and connecting as a family away from the wants and needs of everybody and everything back home.
Selfish? Maybe so, but their comes a time if you don’t take time for ourselves we are no good for anyone else.
Back to the beginning. We arrived at our motel 2 1/2 hours later and decided to go on and start our activities. We drove another 30 minutes to nearby Springfield to the Dickerson Park Zoo, and to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. Evening went great. Rested well and the next morning we ate at an amazing cafe for breakfast (more to come on that), and spent the day at Silver Dollar City. We decided a light dinner of sandwiches, chips ad fruit would work while we watched tv at the motel. Then the world stopped following my script.
We knew before we left that there was possible bad storms moving into our area where we live. The radar had not been showing the threat where we were 2 1/2 hours from home, but the direction changed and we were know going to be in the path of the severe storms.
We had 2 options, stay and figure out a where to go during tornado’s or leave the next morning and get home before the storms moved in. I opted with leaving. We packed our bags, and put them in the car except our clothes and bathroom items for the next morning. Got a good’s night rest then got up just as it was beginning to get daylight and headed home.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I am deathly afraid of tornados. I don’t chance it at all. I know what happens when you say,”It’s not going to do anything”, and then a whole neighborhood is gone.
We arrived home before the storms hit. We picked up for fur-babies from the boarders, unpacked our bags, took showers, ate lunch, and even had time to go to town and pick up some items from the store. We were headed back home when my kiddos asked to go ahead and stay at my dad’s near the cellar. I agreed, headed home to put our bags away and watched the weather until the storms were approaching. Told my fur-babies by and drove to my dad’s for the night.
We ended up having three tornado warnings that night. Three times I went to the cellar fearing for my life. But everytime they changed directions and missed us completely. I just kept praying for God to keep us safe, and praising him when that round was over, but several nearby towns were not so lucky.
See, about 60 miles down I-40 from us, the tornados hit hard. 1/2 mile wide tornado that stayed on the ground for over 25 miles. 16 lives were taken that night. God spared mine and my families, but others were lost. I choose to end my weekend early and come home to take precautions. That same weather threat did produce a tornado where we were going to be that day if we had stayed and not made the decision to come home.
People say I acted out of fear. I just say that God gave me the ability to know not to stay in the way of danger. The same way you would stand on a railroad track as a train was coming toward you. At some point you would move. If the train was not moving its path you would move yours.
photo courtesy of KATV
Despite the massive amount of damage, viewers sending pictures with signs of good faith, hope, and #TheSpiritofArkansas. If you would like to donate to our KATV – American Red Cross Tornado Relief Drive please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit this link: http://www.katv.com/link/485805/tornado-relief-form
The pictures above show one of the three towns that was hit. One of the towns is gone. They were hit 3 years ago the same week by a deadly tornado and had just rebuilt neighborhoods and the school back. Now they are gone again.
We will Praise You in this Storm.
During a time of loss that many are experiencing, we feel helpless in knowing how to help. Our hearts ache and break for the devastation that has occured. During this time, the best plan is to pray for each and every person involved and if you are able to do more please donate to the Red Cross @ http://www.katv.com/link/485805/tornado-relief-form
Be a light for someone during the darkness.
So know the world didn’t follow my script for the weekend, but once again God was in control. He kept my family safe and that is all that matters.