While sitting at home Saturaday night (alone because Todd was out of town)I started realizing we were in for a doozy of a storm. Tornado warnings and watches were all over the map. Nothing new, I pack up the closet full of our emergency items. I settle into the couch and start watching what is happening. It isn't until late Saturday night that I realize something really bad is happening. The news keeps talking about flash flooding and severe flooding. I look out my window and see nothing, so I assume they are "predicting" again. Sunday morning I wake up and church has been canceled because of the flooding. Again, I look out the window and dont see much so I assume its all ok. Todd calls and his flight into Nashville has been canceled, and he might be stuck in Texas for two days. After an hour or so we figure out he can fly into Birmingham and I will drive an hour to pick him up. I load up the car with my 72 hour kit, blankets, water, boots, water shoes, and jackets. (Keep in mind I have been watching the news and semi's and trucks are floating down the freeway.) I pack myself and Kaylee in the car and off we are. I get to the end of my neighborhood and see a bit of water on the road. As I drive the roads start to get more and more water, houses and yards are covered in water. I cant get on the freeway because the on-ramp is completely flooded. I take a back road and only make it 5 minutes before it is closed off. I turn around and realize I am trapped at home. After an hour the rain stops and I decide to try again. After 45 minutes of trying to maneuver through back roads I finally find one that is only semi-flooded. Other cars and trucks see the road and turn around. I decide to give it a try, it only looks like 3-4 feet of water. I plow through and realize only after that I was super dumb and could have very easily gotten stuck. I make it to the freeway and am able to pick Todd up. As we drive home we see rivers and lakes in peoples yards and pastures. It looks like we live on an island, there is water everywhere!!
We wake up Monday and Tuesday and see devastation all around us. Why were we spared? Why were we the lucky ones and had the storm pass over us? I start to feel guilty and want to help, I want to do something. I look online and find local shelters and just start calling. I was looking for what it is that they need, what donations are most important and necessary to them at this moment. I found a rural area that was hit hard. I spoke to the local sheriff and his story was amazing. Their entire area was hit, and hit hard! They have no way in or out and they need everything. I was the first person to call and offer help. He told me they were getting a shipment of water the following day so what they needed were the basics; toiletries, cleaning supplies, clothing, shoes, fans, and anything else we take for granite. I called my friends and church members to see what we could gather. I was truly amazed at how much stuff we could gather in 24 hours. I filled up the 4-runner with everything and headed down to the shelter with a good friend of mine. We had no idea what we were about to see.
The back roads were completely destroyed. We came across four police road blocks, had to drive through a man's front yard, were detoured numerous times, and passed many homes that were ruined. We finally made it to the shelter and found an extremely sad situation. We walked in and on their table of items to distribute were two bars of soap, that's all two bars of soap! However, the room was stocked full of water, Gatorade, and food but they weren't allowed to touch it. The shelter is not a Red Cross certified shelter so they arent allowed to distribute any of it, they are only allowed to house it. These people were coming to their local church to find supplies, and they walk in and see everything they need, but they arent allowed to touch it. You could hear whispers from everyone saying the same thing, "Political garbage and political crap".
You see a grandma looking for water for her eight family members huddled at her house. You see a pregnant women looking for diapers and wipes. You saw families taking only what was needed at that moment because they knew there were others needing the same in line behind them. It was truly one of those moments in life where you say a silent prayer of thanks.
I have such amazing friends and family. Once I sent an email out to everyone I thought could help, it wasn't more than 4 hours later that I had raised over $300 to go shopping with. Because of the amazingly wonderful people in my life we are going to be able to go up and drop off much needed water and supplies to these people.
It is moments like this that you thank your Heavenly Father for the protection you have been given. With the hundreds of earthquakes that have hit this year, the number of floods and tsunamis that have hit this year, and the increasing number of wars and struggles all over the world it makes you wonder...why am I safe? I think I found one answer for that yesterday, because I can help.
I am grateful to my Savior and the example he has given me. I am thankful for earthly parents that taught me to care. I am thankful to a husband that has a bigger and stronger heart for others than me. I am thankful for friends and family that give without seeing. The people in my life are so wonderful, and I have such an amazing group of people to look to to see examples of who I want to be.
As we go to bed this evening lets all say a prayer of thanks. Thanks for water we dont have to boil for 30 minutes to use, thanks for a safe roof over our head, thanks for family and friends we can count on, and if nothing else lets say thanks to the one that makes this life and the next life possible. Thanks to our Savior and creator, thanks that no matter what happens to us here we have a chance to live with him again. Through him we are all safe, and through Him we are all protected.
