Remembering April 27th 2011

Today, I haven't gotten much done at work due to the fact that I have been glued to the computer reading articles in the Gadsden Times and all over the internet about April 27th, 2011. It does not seem like it has been a year already. This morning, I read the Sports Illustrated article about the tornadoes and cried like a baby at my desk at work. It wasn't the first time I have read that article, or the second or third. I have read that article at least 20 or 30 times since last year. I know each athlete's story that is in the article by heart; however, I still cry like a baby. Carson Tinker, long-snapper at the University of Alabama, lost his girlfriend that day. His story breaks my heart every time I hear it. I guess because I put myself in his situation. I do not know what I would do if something happened to Kip. You might as well bury me at the same time. I commend him for his strength...seriously I don't know how in the world he could be so strong and tell his story to millions of people on the news, in newspaper articles and magazines, and in person. I wish I could have that kind of strength! I think Carson's story has inspired so many people...I just wonder if he even knows how many people he has inspired by sharing his story! At the NCAA College Football Awards Ceremony when the Disney Spirit award was presented to the University of Alabama, Carson accepted the award on the behalf of the football team, and once again, they told his story and showed video and photos from that horrible day. And as always, I cried like a little baby. I am so thankful that no one in my family or any of my friends were directly affected by the storms, except for Kip's farm, but all that was damaged was a fence and gate and trees were down everywhere. No structural damage and all the cows were fine! As I sit here on this day that everyone in the state of Alabama will remember as long as they live, I reflect back on each moment of that day, remembering what I was doing that very minute a year ago. My heart still breaks for those who lost loved ones a year ago today, for those who lost homes, and those who lost every tangible memory. Looking back, I wish I would have been at the Emergency Management Agency with Kip that day helping out, whether it be answering phones, taking damage reports, monitoring the National Weather Service chat, or doing whatever I was needed to do! Now, when severe weather threatens, if available, I am at the EMA doing whatever I am needed to do. I didn't think I would be a good "volunteer" due to the fact that I have a come-apart when severe weather threatens, but while working at the daycare, I have learned that I must keep my composure and stay strong for the kiddos and other teachers. I think that has helped me the most..just knowing I need to stay strong and put on a happy face for the children. I am very thankful that we closed the daycare on April 27th, 2011, because I just don't think I would have stayed very calm, especially not after seeing what was coming through Cullman and then Tuscaloosa. I am also very thankful that none of the children or their families were directly affected by the storms either. A tree did fall a graze the roof of one family's home, but luckily no other damage to their home, considering just across the road from them everything was flattened...like a bulldozer had come through and bulldozed the entire neighborhood. An image I can still see in my head of that area is a gate...a large gate of a beautiful home was still standing, doors still locked, with nothing behind it. That beautiful home was completely gone. Everything else in the area..gone. But the gate still stood without a scratch on it. I love hearing the stories of people who's homes have been destroyed, but the room/closet they were sheltering in still had all 4 walls attached. There is no explanation for that except that the hand of God was surrounding that room and protecting that family. I know that many people ask why God spared some people but took other's lives, but God has a plan for every single person on this Earth. He knew who was going to be in the path of that storm that day and who wasn't. He has a way of working things out and his plan is ALWAYS perfect, though we may not realize it at the time. So many people were asking, "WHY ME??" or "WHY MY FAMILY??" on that day. I read a story in the Gadsden Times today about a family who lost their mom, dad, and grandmother, but they realized that this was what they would have wanted. They did were married for 52 years and did everything together..even died together. See..God does have a way for working things out. If you want to read the story, go to gadsdentimes.com and look for the article about the Wootens. It is a wonderful story! There are so many wonderful stories about the April 27th tornadoes all over the internet. I would suggest taking a look at some of them and reading the experiences people have gone through and how they have recovered over the past year! I will always remember April 27th, 2011, and I know everyone in the state of Alabama will too.