Mighty Protector

When Dapo graduated from the U of Utah and got the job offer here in Huntsville, we came here on a home finding trip. Our realtor drove us around looking at houses. At one point in time she referred to “The Tornado” (I later learned she was talking about the Airport Road tornado). “Tornado?!!” I said. I was surprised to hear that tornadoes were a regular occurrence around this area. Here I thought my biggest hurdle to overcome was going to be bugs! She then assuaged me by going into great depth about the technology that the local weather stations have and how the stations compete with each other to give the best coverage. Tornadoes were not mentioned anywhere in our relocation packet!

We knew this was the right place for us to be. It took me a long time to adjust to the thought of hundred-mile-an-hour twisting winds a la Wizard of Oz and Twister. In fact, I have averaged a tornado dream about once every week or two since moving here. There were times when I was pregnant with both kids that I would have week long stretches of tornado dreams.

Tuesday night I had a dream that a tornado was coming for the house. It was a tight, skinny one and there was no time to waste! I yelled at Dapo to grab one of the babies and go. He just sat there sleeping! I yelled at him again, Dapo grab one of the babies, to which he finally woke up and just sat there. I yelled a third time GRAB ONE OF THE BABIES! And woke myself up out of my dream.

I guess it didn’t help that the weather radio had been going off at hourly intervals throughout the night. They were for severe thunderstorm watch, then warning, then flood watch, then warning, etc. At 5 am it went off again and I asked Dapo to go get it. When he returned to bed, I asked what it was for. He told me he didn’t stay to read it or listen. I didn’t give it any thought, and went back to sleep.

On Wednesdays I have Physical Therapy in Madison at 9 am. For those of you who live here, it is by Bender’s Gym on Hughes and Mill Rd. I live just off of Wall Triana, and so I take it all the way to Mill to get to PT. I was right by West Madison Elementary when I heard the tornado sirens going off. I had no idea there was severe weather, so that caught me by surprise. I rolled down my window to make sure that’s what I was hearing. I know that the sirens are county-wide, so I wasn’t too concerned and I turned off my CD to listen to the local station. They had said that there was the tightest rotation they had seen all day near 565/Hwy 20 and County Line road, moving east at 35 mph. EEK! I kept driving knowing that I was only about 5 minutes from PT and also knowing that I only had about 5 minutes to run for cover.

I knew I was right in its general direction, and put the pedal to the metal. I called Dapo, who was meeting me at PT, thinking if it was on Hwy 20 and moving east it was going to be headed towards him. I was on Mill and Wall Triana when the atmosphere changed, it started getting very ominous and windy and rainy. I thought about ducking into the church but decided against it, and drove to PT. I got there shortly after 9, and ran quickly inside with the kids.

It was not until my appointment had ended and I was driving home that I realized it was not Dapo who had been in danger! I had no idea how close I had been to that EF-2 tornado. One of the people from the apartment that lost its roof said she heard the sirens and when the sirens stopped was when it hit. And, I was just driving by! I was amazed to see such huge OLD trees snapped in half, uprooted, like it was nothing.

The greatest part of the story is that when I was getting ready, I had wanted to spend a few more minutes on my hair and I just decided that if I could get the kids ready first and still had time I would, but otherwise this would have to do. By the time I got them ready it was 8:38 and I knew I didn’t have any more time. I shudder to think of what might’ve happened had I not listened to the still, small voice inside of me and continued to style my hair.

God be praised, for under His wings I take refuge! As Psalm 71:7,8 says, “My success-at which so many stand amazed-is because you are my mighty protector. All day long I’ll praise and honor you, O God, for all that you have done for me”. (TLB)



A tree and fence on Mill Road


Mill Road Tree - the root bulb was as tall as the fence!



Mill Road House



Mill Road House



Mill Road House - it was amazing to see amongst all the damage it was like the tornado skipped over houses and to take out fences and trees.



Mill Road House


Above the Miller Lite truck is a billboard on County Line as seen from Mill Rd


Browns Ferry Rd...above my side mirror you can see the trees that were snapped off and are falling


Browns Ferry Rd



Browns Ferry Rd


This is a house on Wall Triana Hwy by W Madison Elementary