Tornado April 27 Arab

Oh goodness, where do I start... Wednesday my world was turned up side-down.  Let me start off by saying I have never had a fear of tornadoes. I don't go to shelters when the tornado warnings  go off but there was a feeling of danger in the air last Wednesday - or maybe it was just me. I just felt every time the warnings went off  a sense of fear. I think it was around 2:00 pm the warnings started again, that time I felt like I need to drive the kids and myself to the Arab storm shelter. First time I had ever been in my life! On the way there Kevin called and said he was on his way home. While I was on the phone with him I looked up and seen the tornado! First one I had ever seen in person. It was a monster! I'm sure it was several miles away but I couldn't tell at the time. We reached the shelter - all I could think was, Lord Please watch over Kevin! Some people went back up and came back down with pictures of it on their cellphones. They said "it's right on top of us." I got to see the pictures and it was clearly a tornado! I wish I could tell you I prayed this great prayer but all I could think was Lord watch over your children - Lord, please watch over Kevin. As soon as it came it went. We were in the parking lot leaving and I seen Kevin's Mr Electric van pull up. I said "thank you Lord" out loud I didn't care who heard me!
We  got back home, Brandi called and said "Sue Beal's house got hit"! Not knowing if she was in it or not we all jumped into the four-runner and took off to her house (only a few miles away)I think we were the first ones there! I stood in front of the house I had been in many times. My eyes filled with tears. There was no roof, few walls and a gaping hole through where her living room use to be! Luckily, Marty text me told me she was fine. Only Marty in Huntsville could know whats going on 20 miles away in Arab!!  I do call her my go to girl and with good reason!
The Arab I knew had changed. It was hard to get my barrings. Nothing looked familiar. We talked to Wayne and he gave the okay to start loading up anything that was not destroyed. Soon after Sue and her family members started showing up helping load what little we could retrieve. The tornado warnings kept going off. People kept running up saying more tornadoes were headed to or in Arab. I just made my mind up that Sister Sue had lost most of everything she owed and the Lord would have to protect us once again cause we were staying - grabbing pictures or anything we could.

I lay in bed that night and pictures of that afternoon kept running threw my mind. I could feel the wind filled with debris and insulation settling in my chest. I kept picturing this squirrel I had seen on a fence post that was so distraught that it couldn't move the whole time I was there. It had a crazy look in it's eyes clearly in shock. No tell what it had seen or better yet been threw. I could relate to that squirrel.

It's been four long days of mourning and sadness. I knew the the family that passed away in in Arab. It's hard to hear of a family of five dieing and not grieve for the remaining family members who have lost so much. Its sad to think of Sister Sue who treasured her daughter Cinda's possessions and now I'm sure many of them are gone. I can't help but think how she had kept Cinda's driving license in her kitchen window-seal. Sister Sue and Sandra would be the first one's at anyone's house that was in the same predicament.  

I'm sure Sue would appreciate any prayers you put up for her. Ending on a happy note we just had our power restored a few hours ago. Hence the post. I'm thankful the Lord spared so many including my family and Sister Sue!