How our life changed…we will never be the same.

Thursday Night…
Texts to my hubby, who was out of town…

Me:  “Tornado Warning in Neighboring County.”
Hubby:  “Wow”

Couple of hours later…our texts.

Me:  Thundering and Lightening. Lights keep blinking on and off.
Hubby:  “Wow!  Wish I was there.”

Then our life changed.

My kids had wanted to watch a movie Thursday night.  I wanted to paint my nails.  My hubby had been gone out of town for work since Tuesday morning.  We don’t do well when he is gone.

We had our homeschool co-op planned for Friday morning so I was willing to let the children watch a movie in the guest room so they would fall asleep and I could hope that I could sleep by myself at least once while their Daddy was away.

I had a candle lit in the living room and the t.v. was muted.  I went to the bathroom. I noticed through the window that our lime tree was was really blowing like crazy. On the way, back to the living room the lights went out.  I thought “Oh brother…now I’ll never get the kids to sleep, I should have charged my phone and my nails are not going to be painted.”  Let me just say, I was not expecting what would happen next.

I checked on the kids and gave them my iPad for light.  The boys had their flashlights and were such brave souls.  I went in circles for a few moments wondering what I should do to get the kids to sleep.  So, I grabbed my phone and went to the guest room.

Then the most awful RUMBLE started.  The windows in the living room blew out and the kids started to CRY out.  I told them to grab my Grandma’s quilt and get on the floor.  I called my husband on the phone and tried to hear his voice but he hung up on us.  He thought I had accidentally called him and he thought the kids were playing in the background.

So, I called him back.  He was in the middle of Carino’s Italian Restaurant with families who were oblivious to what was happening in other parts of Texas.  Let me just say, being helpless is a feeling that can cause your heart to grip with pain.

The RUMBLE and pounding of HAIL continued for at least 20 LONG minutes.  And continued!  Glass kept shattering.

Da Vinci, our new puppy slept through it ALL – should have named him J.J, for “Jesus Jr.”  – one who sleep through a storm when everyone else is crying out GOD SAVE US!

I had tried calling my next door neighbor, his family was out to eat in another part of town.  He thought I was crazy and playing a trick on him.  It was not even raining where he was.
Let me just stop and say, when someone calls you to tell you they are possibly in a tornado or someone they love is, don’t tell them about your day.  They are wanting prayers or reassurance!  

When our neighbors got home – they saw what we were talking about and told us we could come and stay with them.  In fact, I bet he would now believe me if I told him Santa Claus landed on my roof.  Lol!

Back in our guest room, our youngest daughter, kept crying out:  “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I’m going to throw up, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I’m going to throw up!”  In the midst of the storm, the rest of us told her, “Don’t you dare throw up on us!”  It is comical now…she has no recollection of ever saying it.

Finally, the rumbling stopped.  I told the kids to stay put and let me go in the dining room to see the damage.  What I saw was crazy!

The curtains were blowing in the living room.    The candle that I had lit on the counter earlier, was still blowing and shining light.  I opened the front door and saw a winter wonderland.  Hail!  Lots of it!  EVERYWHERE!  Glass was ALL over our living room.  I couldn’t tell if the fish tank was busted. It was still so loud and my kids were still sobbing.

The bad weather hadn’t stopped.  It was still hailing and the wind was still blowing.  I called another neighbor friend down the street and he told me another round of it was coming toward us. He said he would come and check on us later. So back in the guest room I went.

I tried calling my husband again and this time couldn’t get through.  My kids and I prayed.  Then we sang, “Jesus loves me.”  Then my kids sang, “Counting on God.”  Music in the middle of chaos was delight to my soul. 

After a few minutes, it let up.  I went back in the living room and saw flashlights coming through the window.  My down the street neighbors had come to help us.  They helped taped up our broken windows and calm our nerves.  We ended up staying the night at their house because they had electricity.

We have survived many hurricanes.  This was so much worse.  Our entire neighborhood and city looked like it was in a bomb of some sorts.  A river of ice flowed

So many blessings.  So grateful for friends and our precious, precious neighbors!  So grateful for prayers, songs and Psalm 23 during turmoil.

Our passion vine.  Covered in leaves and beautiful blooms the day before…

My “Silver Belle’s mirror”  – yes, we name our cars.

Our dining room window…sort of.

The paint was torn off…Hail covered our portico…

All my beautiful flowers – gone!

Bird of paradise…looks shredded.  Hail is still there.

My Hawaiian Ti Plants…so sad.

Our backyard the next day.Glass is everywhere!

This was my hubby’s Work Vehicle.  It would normally been in our driveway but since he was out of town – it was left at his office.

The a/c was even busted.