Our night in the safe room

My dad was insistent that I build a "Safe Room" in my house.  Josh and Kellye were living just down the road at the time and he wanted a safe place for us to all be if and when a storm came through.  (Yeah, I know what you're thinking. . .WOW!)  He made sure that it was large enough for all of us and he made it VERY CLEAR that he did not want me to crowd it with storage - it was for a SAFE ROOM and nothing else!  Well, I do have some storage in there but make I make sure that there is always enough room for us if we should need to use it.

Tuesday night was the first time that I felt like I absolutely HAD to go to the safe room!  Andy and I made our way downstairs with blankets and pillows and camped out for a while.  We didn't have any electricity and it was pitch black!  I grabbed my phone so I could check on Mom, Dad, and Kellye and it doubled as a flashlight (aren't smart phones great?).

As we sat there listening to the loudness of the storm, I couldn't help but wonder how Josh must have felt and what he must have been thinking when he knew the storm was coming.  Kellye and the girls were with me at my house that day and I vividly remember him calling to make sure that we were all together and safe.  I will never forget him telling her. . ."I've got to go - I can see it coming."  Kellye and I did not go to the safe room that day - we stayed in Andy's room and watched the news. We watched as the storm entered Gallatin and knew that it had hit Vol State.  Well, the rest of the day (and the weeks to follow) is pretty much a blurr with intermittent memories. 

I do have a list of things I want to add to the safe room . . .

• metal door on the entrance
• battery powered radio
• battery powered lantern
• emergency lights in the garage

Yesterday I got out to see how much damage there was  and I know that God put a hedge around our house Tuesday night.  Just across the field there are a few barns badly damaged and in the opposite direction there are trees and power lines destroyed.  I am thankful for his shielding hand. . .WE ARE BLESSED!