A Year Later

         The air was completely still as we walked around the backyard.

         We laughed as I commented, “We are walking around during a tornado warning.”

         A few minutes later, we went back in the house to get ready for bed thinking nothing about those tornado warnings because tornadoes were rare around here. As I laid in bed, my mind wouldn’t shut down, so I scrolled through Facebook. All of the sudden, I saw the words, “Tornado has hit Trotwood.”

         As quick as I could, I jumped out of my bed and screamed, “It’s real,” as tears rolled down my face.

         “Everyone to the bathroom,” I yelled!

         Our bathroom is a tiny room. Imagine trying to fit 4 people and a dog into what is basically a walk-in closet sized room. Will and I took the floor. Hubby sat on the toilet. Nick had just finished his bath, so he put on his bathing suit and sat in the water that hadn’t drained.

         The perfect Memorial Day was now a nightmare. The blue skies were replaced with an angry black monster. The pinging of the hail began hitting our house like millions of basketballs being hit against the wall. My back was against the bathroom door and felt all the vibrations of our house being struck repeatedly by the baseball sized hail.

         My phone kept beeping. Every time we thought we were in the clear, the tornado sighted alarm went off. People kept texting me to make sure our family was safe. Nick was on the phone with his now ex-girlfriend trying to console her. It was the most surreal moment in my life.

         Two hours after seeing “Tornado has hit Trotwood,” we were free to go to bed. We were fortunate because our house had been spared. I praised God for his protection over us.

         Sleep was not possible that night. Worry hung over me. At 3 o’clock in the morning, I walked around my backyard. The air was completely still.

         It was not until daylight would anyone know the true amount of destruction that had occurred on that night where the landscape of the area I know was drastically changed.

         That night taught me two lessons: never say never and the value of community. We never thought a tornado would occur in our city. And the amount of support we got from strangers was amazing. Even people who lost it all were out helping their neighbors.

         Now a year later, I will always remember the stillness of the night before the angry monster tore through our city.