May 20, 2013

The last few months have been a world wind for me and my family.  On May 20, 2013 we were in our home when a tornado hit us.  We were living in Moore, Oklahoma at the time.  I was home with my husband, 6 month old daughter, and our dog.  We hunkered down in a closet, prayed for our lives, and with God's good gracious made it through an EF-5.  After the tornado hit our home we were in a complete disaster area.  We ran to check on the neighbors and luckily everyone on our street was okay. Unfortunately, the homes on the next three streets were not.  There was nothing left of these homes. 

Immediately following the tornado the Red Cross and the Air Force came in to help us.  Our home was not demolished, but it was unlivable.  The next morning many men and women from my husband's squadron came to help us.  I don't know what we would have done without the help we received.  Having no running water or no electricity.  I remember one night my daughter was crying uncontrollably.  I had no idea what was wrong with her.  My husband said, "maybe she is hot?"  He went and got some bottled water and poured it on a washcloth.  I put it on her and she went limp in my arms, became quite and fell asleep.  There is no worse feeling than having your child feel that way and there isn't anything that you can do.  

We were scheduled to leave Oklahoma only 3 months from when the tornado hit.  We had been there 3 years and never had to face one.  A week later we had decide the best thing to do was for me to come back to Kentucky and stay with my mom while my husband was retraining in Texas.  He wasn't going to be done until September.  It was the best option for our family.  We had been staying with friends right before we left Oklahoma.  They were so kind and generous to have let us stay with them.  We will never forget them and their friendship.  

The day we were leaving another bad weather report had come on the news that morning.  We had planned to leave that evening around 7pm because our daughter travels better at night so she can sleep.  Around 4pm I spoke with my husband about leaving early.  Sometimes in our life we have instincts, gut feelings and we should always follow them.  That day I'm glad that we did.  We left that evening at 5pm.  We had just got onto the interstate, I-40, when the radio said there was a tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma heading right toward us.  As many of you know this tornado also took lives.  We were only minutes away from being stuck on the interstate.  Panic had set in and I was crying uncontrollably, scared for our lives, the life of my baby girl.  We drove as fast as we could with the tornado trailing behind us.  That night another tornado had hit our home in Moore, Oklahoma.  We made it out okay, but it is something that still haunts me till this day.

I find myself still dreaming about that day.  Thunderstorms can frighten me if the thunder and wind is loud enough.  I sometimes wonder if it is normal for me 6 months later to still have dreams about that day.  I still can't watch footage about it if you can hear the sounds of the tornado.  It puts me right back there, in that closet, praying for my family...terrified.