December 10, 2021

December 10, 2021. A day that won't be forgotten in a very, very long time. It was a day that Josh and I left our kids with Josh's parents knowing there was a risk for severe weather in the area. It was an unseasonably warm day. We get severe weather all the time, nothing that really causes us to second guess our choices other than cancelling a soccer game. Or staying inside instead of outdoor fun. But nothing so severe that you are concerned of the lives of your children and family. So, Josh and I left with Hannah and Adam to Nashville to celebrate her nursing school graduation. We left the kids with Josh's parents for the evening and went down and ate good and pretended we were 25 again. Until reality hit and we realized that the severe weather that was supposed to hit was life-endangering severe. Life taking. That a nearly mile-wide tornado had already been on the ground for almost 100 miles by the time it would reach our county. Josh and I immediately stopped what we were doing, focused on our phones since our lives and hearts were in the path of this tornado that had already killed multiple people in the neighboring county, and prayed. In the corner of a bar in Nashville around 9:45 that night. As much as I wanted to celebrate my sister, I longed with every ounce of my being to be with my children.

We learned the next day that the tornado came within only a couple hundred yards of my inlaw's house, where my babies were huddled with them in the corner of a basement room. We left Nashville the next morning and went to Harbor Freight and bought as many generators as could fit into our minivan to bring back to Benton. When we entered Marshall County we entered a new world. I was in shock. I had briefly texted with Stacey, who warned me. Of course, there was no cell signal left in Marshall so our texts were spotty. I was scared to get to our house after what I saw. The Malones stayed in our basement through it all, which was a good thing because they had pretty substantial (but luckily more cosmetic than anything) damage to their house. We don't know how their house was still standing as there were houses just down the road that were gone. We were anxious to see the state of our own home and property. When we pulled into the driveway, nothing was amiss. There wasn't a limb to be seen in the yard. Now a shingle off the roof. Nothing. The only thing was no power and no cell service. You wanna talk about survivor's guilt? It is a REAL thing. I still have a hard time processing it since we were not only 100% spared, but also not in town when it hit. And not even with our beloveds. I cry typing this out.

The weeks after the devastation were a blur. A busy and hardworking and lesson learning blur. My boys learned a lot about humanity. School was cancelled. Our church became a donation center and a working crew. The kids and I worked at the donation center every chance we got, and when Josh was off of work, we loaded up and went and did manual labor, helping our "neighbors" clear their property of the unending debris. I cannot even explain the emotions that were going on. But if you don't know God, come to Western KY. He showed up in the darkest days and strangers hugged, people were fed, families were clothed. So.many.people lost everything. EVERYTHING. Can you even imagine it? We couldn't. Our family's lives were spared. Our house was fine. Our Christmas was untouched. But, not so for so many. Despite my Survivor's Guilt, I am thankful that our family had the means and health and ability to help others out. And I also received monetary donations from out of town friends and family, which was then immediately sent on to families we knew who were completely displaced. (THANK YOU- you know who you are.)

There is no good way to post pictures to this blog. It is a devastating posting. But in reality, it wasn't a devastating evening for the 4 of us who, unknowingly, got away for a celebration. And before real life hit us in the face, we had a great time. So I want to remember the fun I had with my husband, my sister and Adam. So those pictures will be first. Then the reality of December 10th, 2021, will be posted after. 

This is what Josh and I were looking at in our secluded corner of the bar while Hannah and Adam continued to celebrate (rightfully so...they really didn't have ties to Benton and didn't grasp what was going on like we did). The radar image of the tornado heading towards Benton. For reference, Stacey Malone lives on Oak Level Road. Our house is a tiny cul-de-sac off Bent Creek Drive. Josh's parent's home isn't shown in this image, but if you looked at the NWS tornado path, their house is in the path. 

The red area is Benton. This shows the path of this particular tornado. But over December 10-11 there were several other tornadoes. Those paths are shown also. 

photo credit: NWS website. This is Cambridge Shores, a very nice Ky Lake subdivision. Demolished, wiped off the map. Never to look the same in our lifetimes. 

photo credit: NWS website. Another view of KY lake subdivision Cambridge Shores

We helped out the brother of one of Keagan's elementary school teachers. 

This flag struck me. Made me cry. Every time I passed it as I loaded debris onto an ever-growing pile, I saw this. And it reminded me of God's grace and beauty in ALL THINGS.

Helping Ms. Crystal, the boy's school librarian

Always time to smile and have a little fun. After all, we are still human

Finn found this chair (and a lot of other "treasures") in the rubble. He wanted to keep it, I said No. But he could rest his weary legs for a minute if he wanted. 

This is a tree at a friend of mine's house. The roof of her house was picked up and put back down. But not before the walls were angled out and the outside was brought in. Literally. Their shop was gone. The back wall of their garage was gone. We helped them pack up their waterlogged home. Their house has since been demolished and they are in the process of rebuilding.