Yesterday marked the year anniversary of a scary day in my life. Oklahoma is known for tornados and having grown up here my entire life, I've been to the storm shelter a many time in my life. Around here when the sirens go off we look around outside and 90% of the time we don't even go to the shelter. Last year was a different story....
I nanny part time for a 2 year old, a 9 year old and a 16 year old. I just so happened to be at their house when the storms started rolling in. It was later in the evening and their mom was just about to start home. I had gathered them together with pillows just in case we needed to get in the closet. Luckily, their grandma came over and said I should go ahead and start home so I could beat the storms. I called my husband and said I was on my way.
Now, like I said, I have lived in Oklahoma my entire life but I've never seen an actual tornado. I know enough about them to spot the signs and I've seen plenty on the news but never up close. Well, everything changed that day.
It was about 5:15 when I headed out. I cut across Old Bryant to 19th Street to head to my house. As I'm driving I suddenly notice that the wind is being sucked toward the east. Tons of leaves and limbs are flying across the road in front of me and I had to dodge a section of wooden fence. I debated whether to turn around but silly me, I kept going. I really started getting freaked out when I saw the fence and right then I started praying. The name of Jesus got said a lot in my car that day! I turned on 19th Street and got almost to Sunnylane when I saw it. A white tornado directly to my right. Trees were already down and covering the road. This little girl got scared! I turned my car around as fast as I could and headed back to Moore. I got to my sister-in-laws house (who has a storm shelter) and tried to call Mark.
Don't know if anyone else knows this, but when there is a tornado or something similiar the cell phone lines don't let you get a call very easily. I couldn't get through to anyone. I'm panicked trying to get in touch with my family that was on the other side of that tornado. I was fearing the worst. I waited at Mandy's for awhile before I finally decided it was safe. After searching, I finally found a clear route home that wasn't covered in debris. As I'm heading to my house there are barns blown away, cars overturned and debris everywhere. I finally make it home and find my mother-in-law (they live on the adjoining property). She is freaking out saying Mark is trying to find me, they thought I had been caught in the storm. Still cannot get through on the phones!!!
Mark had luckily went to Mandy's first and found out that I was ok. Come to find out the tornado took out our barn and my in-laws barn. It came dangerously close to our houses. We got a lot of damage but nothing compared to others. As I walked the yard later that night I noticed huge divets in the yard from flying boards and tin. I thank God that my in-laws and husband got to our storm shelter when they did or they would have been killed from the flying debris. God truely had His hand upon us that day. When you think about all the "could have" or "what if" it is a miracle that we didn't get hurt.
The weather men are calling for possible tornados today. This little girl learned her lesson and will not be driving into the path of a tornado if at all possible!!!! Praying God has His hands on us today like He did last year!!!
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