Tornado

Yesterday we were preparing for a fun afternoon at Mama Mary and Granddaddy's with an Easter egg hunt and dinner. I knew we had a busy weekend ahead of us so I wanted the house clean and everything ready for a day of ballgames on Saturday and Easter on Sunday. We spent the morning cleaning. Cy and Piper were taking naps and I had just mopped the downstairs. I told the three older kids to sit on the couch and watch TV so they didn't wake Cy and Piper or mess up my floors! When they turned the TV on, I saw reports of storms, but I didn't see Murfreesboro and really just didn't think much about it. I told them I was going to shower before we got any storms and would fix lunch when I was done and the floors were dry. As I was getting ready I could tell it was getting a little yucky around here but still didn't think much about it. While I was in the shower we had lost satellite for the TV and I didn't have the weather radio on. Cy woke up so we went downstairs and got all the lunch fixings out and I asked Landon to go upstairs and get the weather radio. I then buckled Cy in his highchair. When I turned around, I heard this very loud noise. Out my back window I saw debris flying through the air and quickly realized it was a tornado. I yelled for Landon to come back downstairs and everyone in the pantry quickly. I about jerked Cy's legs off trying to get him out of his highchair. I ran upstairs to get Adaleigh and Piper out of their beds. My heart was racing and my body was shaking. It was a terrifying noise and sight. I was very fortunate that it did not come towards my house. I so desperately wanted to talk to Zack but knew he would not have his cell phone on him at work. I could not get any cell service and had no power. I finally received a text from Meghan asking if we were okay. I replied but still could not get through on the phone. I finally got through to Jen. Trip called her while we were talking so he was able to let Zack know we were okay.

It was so interesting to see the different reactions of my children. Landon took on a protective roll as the man in the house. He acted very calm, but he later told me his legs were shaking very bad and he couldn't stop them. He would not eat anything until later that day. Mia just screamed, "We are going to all die!", over and over again. Every now and then she would throw in "and will we be able to have an Easter Egg hunt?". Logan just sat calmly not saying a word. Cy and Piper were screaming crying because I jerked them out of the highchair and bed and threw them in the pantry.

When we knew everything was clear, we headed to mom and dads house. The kids and I stayed the night there because we did not have power till 2am. Many people around us are still without power today. I knew I had seen the tornado but I did not realize the extent of damage until I watched the news.

Late last night I came home to get some essentials and then went to a friends home that had been destroyed. I have never seen anything like it before.

After returning home this morning, I have been sitting in my house listening to the helicopters flying overhead and the chainsaws working in the distance. My heart goes out to all the families who have lost their homes. I can not imagine having my home torn to shreds.

Thank you to all who called or emailed to make sure we were okay. I hope and pray as a community we can come together to help all those families in need at this time. I have never seen anything like this first hand.