Look What God Did Today

 

This morning as I was prepping things at work, I looked outside and saw this:

 

It was amazing and reminded me of how great God’s power is.

 

 

 

I am and those clouds are freaky. But cool.

Carhop Tornado Survival 101

 

 

 

 

I am Al and I hate living in Arkansas.

April Showers Bring Tornadoes.

It’s a mess.

My precious hometown—population 2,106—is a mess.

An EF-3 tornado ripped through my tiny community last night and left disaster and grief in its wake.

Pavement is scoured, trees are uprooted, and homes are destroyed. People are lost, people are trapped, and people have lost their lives.

This morning I made the very solemn 45-minute drive home from college. I could see evidence of damage very early—ripped up highway signs and tree limbs scattered.

That’s when the tears started.

What would I find?

Were the rumors true—that the high school field-house was destroyed? My old high school field-house?

Was Keith’s gas station really gone?

I couldn’t help but cry. My lifetime memories are wrapped up into this small town, and it is everything I know. I love it. I love my sweet town. I love the people and the sense of family.

When I finally made it into town, the National Guard was controlling the one traffic light in town. They were only allowing residents and volunteers onto Main Street.

What I saw a mile into town took my breath away.

Yes, the disaster took my breath away. It’s shocking and surreal, and my town doesn’t even look the same.

But that wasn’t it. It was the way people were responding.

Neighbors were helping each other. There were hundreds of volunteers everywhere. People were driving down the streets with water, clothes and food, ready and willing to give all they could.

Shelters were set up and gracious people were opening their homes to people who had lost everything.

And that’s what took my breath away.

People rolled up their sleeves and said “Yes, there’s been a disaster. Where can I help? What can I do? What do you need?”

Food? Got it.

Water? Got it.

That tree out of your house? Let me get the chainsaw.

My memories aren’t in the town. I don’t love the geographic area.

I love the the giving, praying, loving community.

Home, we will get through this.

Let’s get to work.

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Inland Hurricanes

Well Autumn got off to a late start this morning.

Not to blame the weather, but howling winds, thunder and rain interrupted my REM sleep in the wee hours of the morning. And I need my beauty sleep. I work hard for this face, people.

I looked out the window and saw what appeared to be a hurricane. It was actually tornadoes, no big deal.

After listening to the radio for an hour and eventually hearing that we were no longer under tornado watch, I went back to sleep.

Then I got the blessed call, voice-mail and text message from Public Safety saying that due to a power outage, chapel was canceled.

And then emails saying that all of my classes were cancelled.

Why?

Dude.

It’s Beginning to Look A lot Like Utah

 

I woke up to rain.

Freezing cold rain.

It started snowing when I hopped in the shower and by the time I had finished my first (and only) class for the day, it looked like this:

 

A winter wonderland!

Then I checked my mail and found the necklace I ordered on Etsy.

I know, you want it.

But it was custom made, so HA!

.

.

.

My love for Utah is getting out of hand.

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful

 

Snow! Snow! Snow!

Admittedly, snow is cool for about one day.

Then it gets slushy and dirty and I’m so done that you could stick a toothpick in me and it would come out clean.

But anyway, it’s still the first day so right now my attitude is:

SNOW!

My Friend Rain.

February 1995

Blonde, hazel-eyes, and four years small, I shared a room with my brother and sister. They had the bunk beds and I had my very own gold bed across the room from them, right next to the window.

I wasn't a child that was afraid of storms. Quite the opposite. I was full of sass and spunk- I can assure you that has changed. Wink wink.

Late at night when the clouds thundered I would sit up in my gold bed, pull back the curtains and watch the rain.

October 2008

17 years old found me in my junior year of high school. My alarm sounded at 7:15 and I woke up to rain and thunder.

Early morning rain is the best, I thought, and snuggled under my covers for more sleep. I was late for school every day, anyways. Why rush to get up when it's raining?

Eventually I got up, dragged a straightener through my thick hair and brushed my teeth.

And all day long I wished it would keep raining so that when I got home, I could take a nap. Really, any sleep while raining is marvelous.




via

August 2010

College years, almost 20-something years. I am tempted to be mad at the rain pouring down outside because it has messed up the satellite signal and I can't watch Grey's Anatomy.

But then I turned off all the lights, opened the windows and enjoyed something that makes life so beautiful. My best nature friend, Rain.

I'm thinking about a rain wedding? Would you like to come?

Driving Through.

The weather today was fabulous and the warmest I have felt in the four days we have been here. To take full advantage, we donned our bathing suits and drove to Orem for some fun in the sun & water!

I got a nice burn that has since faded into a golden tan. Ah, summer!

It was fun to splash in the water with the children and slide down the slides.

While Kaylee was at the Mount Timpanogos Temple, I got to ride through a canyon and enjoy the Rocky Moutains.

It was beyond beautiful. I wish I could bottle the smell of pine and fresh moutain water! You know the smell? You should.

After, we ate authentic mexican food and then went for a drive to the desert, where we started a fire. And for seats, of course, we took them out of the car.

What would you have done? Seriously.

Oh, and the lightening! While listening to tunes on my iPhone and enjoying our camp fire, we spotted some seriously awesome lightening in the distance.

These days are so good..

Temple Square in Salt Lake City

This is the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. It seats 21,000 Mormons for their bi-annual conference. The organ in the picture is one of the largest in the world. Very pretty, I think. And huge- ginormous!

We also went on a tour of Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Temple Square has many buildings but the prettiest is the temple itself. I saw several brides taking pictures outside of the temple- a Mormon must. (Temple weddings, that is)

It was very pretty. Of course we couldn't go inside (especially me) but I'm sure it's equally as nice inside!

This is a statue of Jesus in the Visitors Center at Temple Square, where I was offered a Book of Mormon and a visit from "the" missionaries. I agreed politely.

Atop the Conference Center is a garden where there are trees and a variety of flowers. It was so neat to see such a lovely garden in the middle of Salt Lake City, with buildings and moutains in the distance.

Salt Lake City from the top of the Conference Center. I was aiming to get a shot of the mountains. It's impossible to truly capture their essence, but it is certainly my goal for the trip.

Even though I am not of the LDS faith, I was still able to appreciate their beliefs and their beautiful temples.

In other news, it is still 50 degrees here. See the snow on the moutains?

What the heck Utah? When is summer here?!

9 more days!

Smells of Summer (& a birthday)

Happy Birthday Kaylee!
We have been best friends since the 2nd grade & I cherish each day. I hope I'm telling you 'happy birthday' when we are 80.

In other news, it was 1,7892828282 degrees today which is not desirable carhop weather. To my delight, a monsoon came upon us and made the temperature drop 10 degrees. And lets not forget the smell rain brings with it. I had no problem taking orders out after that. The more the merrier- that became my motto!

Oh summer, please bring more days like this!

Tornado

Current news:

Sitting in my dorm hall with the rest of my hallmates.
Tornado warnings are in our area--one is on the ground a few miles away.

My door is open so we can watch the TV.

In other news,

studying for finals has commenced!

p.s. pray this doesn't hit Harding!