When I was little my mom had a spiral notebook with a dark red cover, otherwise known as her recipe book. She'd write down recipes she'd seen or clip recipes from newspapers and tape them on the pages. I loved that cookbook. I'd sit there next to her while she cooked and write letters on the front of the book in pen. Now, when I say letters I literally mean letters "A, B, C", etc. Of course there was no pattern to them. I remember a big "A" and a big "G" somewhere on the front. At some point in time I decided to draw a line and connect all of those letters. My mom was so "lucky" to have me as a helper. But she never replaced that notebook. Even in my 20s that cookbook was still used by my mother.
There was a red velvet cake recipe in that notebook that my mom and I used to cook. When I got married I wanted to cook a red velvet cake for the holidays, so I copied the recipe on an index card and put it in the recipe box my mom had given me.
My mom planned on giving that notebook/cookbook to me so that I could have it when I started cooking with my children. But I never got that notebook. It disappeared in the wind like everything else from my childhood last year.
But somehow when the rubble on top of our kitchen was removed someone found my recipe box. The top of the box was gone, presumably ripped apart by the wind. But there, tightly packed inside, remained all of my recipes, including the red velvet recipe I'd copied from that red notebook.
So today, on my daughter's first Christmas Eve, I cooked that red velvet cake with the homemade cream cheese icing, and I gave her a few little crumbs from it. While I'll never get to cook with her from that little red notebook, at least I lived to give birth to her and feed her cake from a recipe from that book. It's little moments like those that remind me that while the tornado will find ways to knock me down God will always make ways to pick me up.
Happy Birthday Jesus.
And thank you for the memories you gave me today.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
The Voice in the Closet
There are so many lingering questions I have about April 27. I know most of those questions have no earthly answer. I know some of those questions I will never know the answer to. For instance, take the story about my baby shirt from the day I was born. When I was born, back in 1981, the staff at the hospital dressed me in a little pink shirt with a picture of a stork carrying a baby and the words "Life Begins at Athens Limestone Hospital". When I was in high school my mom gave that shirt to me. I kept it in a box in the top of my bedroom closet, along with a collection of other childhood memories including the birth announcement that hung on my bassinet in the hospital nursery that night. Over the years the pink shirt faded, but I held onto it knowing that someday my children would be born at Athens Hospital (because that's where my amazing doctor delivers babies). I planned to put that shirt on our children (if they were girls) when they were born.
Then April 27 happened, and it turned my world upside down. My little pink shirt, which now resided in that same box but in the hall closet to my new home, disappeared. In fact the whole box disappeared. I did manage to find a few things from that box, but not the little pink shirt. I accepted, sadly, that it was gone and my children would never wear that shirt - just another punch in the gut from the tornado that had already taken everything but my life, my family, and my faith.
Weeks passed. We were all over that property - no sign of that little pink shirt. Then one day when I stopped by to wander aimlessly around the yard looking for anything that I might not have found before, which I often did, I walked up the steps onto the foundation and there sat that little pink, faded Athens Hospital shirt - just like someone had spread it out on that foundation waiting for me. And just shy of the one year anniversary of the storm, I did get to dress our daughter in that shirt - the little girl who wasn't even on the way when that shirt mysteriously showed back up.
My lingering questions there are: 1) Who found the shirt? 2) Where did they find the shirt? 3) How did they know which house it belonged to?
Questions that will never be answered.
Now the bigger mystery for me is one that I thought I knew the answer to. For anyone who's read my account of that day, you may remember that the very last thing I heard before the tornado hit was someone saying "This is the one that can kill people". I always assumed that came from Channel 48 because I had the TV turned up loud enough to hear it in the closet and that was the only thing in the house making any noise. The weather radio was next to me, but when it alarms I always listen to it, and then turn it back off until it alarms again. It wasn't on. So, I was the only one in the house, and the news was the only thing talking. Logically I assumed it was someone on there who made that comment. It always bothered me because that comment is what put absolute terror in me literally seconds before the tornado was on top of me. I thought it was strange for someone to make that comment, but I also know that when you're in that moment sometimes you say things without even thinking about it. I assumed that's what happened.
It bothered me though. Every few months since the storm I'd search the internet and look for video of Channel 48's broadcast that day. I wanted to prove to myself that they really said that. I've seen a few videos on Youtube, but I could tell that they were edited - jumping ahead in time to track certain storms. Over 16 months later I still couldn't let that go. I still searched for video. Then a few days ago I found it. I found the video I'd been looking for - an unedited version of the broadcast from April 27. Only it brought more questions than answers.
I did hear them talk about seeing the tornado on Alfa cam and their voices getting a little more excited, worried, when they actually saw it. The broadcast kept going, but no one made the comment about this tornado being the one that could kill people. I now have my answer. Channel 48 didn't make that comment. But I heard it. Which changes the question from "did the news really say that?" to "Since they didn't say it, then who did?". I now have a new lingering question to add to my list:
Who was the voice in the closet that afternoon?
Then April 27 happened, and it turned my world upside down. My little pink shirt, which now resided in that same box but in the hall closet to my new home, disappeared. In fact the whole box disappeared. I did manage to find a few things from that box, but not the little pink shirt. I accepted, sadly, that it was gone and my children would never wear that shirt - just another punch in the gut from the tornado that had already taken everything but my life, my family, and my faith.
Weeks passed. We were all over that property - no sign of that little pink shirt. Then one day when I stopped by to wander aimlessly around the yard looking for anything that I might not have found before, which I often did, I walked up the steps onto the foundation and there sat that little pink, faded Athens Hospital shirt - just like someone had spread it out on that foundation waiting for me. And just shy of the one year anniversary of the storm, I did get to dress our daughter in that shirt - the little girl who wasn't even on the way when that shirt mysteriously showed back up.
My lingering questions there are: 1) Who found the shirt? 2) Where did they find the shirt? 3) How did they know which house it belonged to?
Questions that will never be answered.
Now the bigger mystery for me is one that I thought I knew the answer to. For anyone who's read my account of that day, you may remember that the very last thing I heard before the tornado hit was someone saying "This is the one that can kill people". I always assumed that came from Channel 48 because I had the TV turned up loud enough to hear it in the closet and that was the only thing in the house making any noise. The weather radio was next to me, but when it alarms I always listen to it, and then turn it back off until it alarms again. It wasn't on. So, I was the only one in the house, and the news was the only thing talking. Logically I assumed it was someone on there who made that comment. It always bothered me because that comment is what put absolute terror in me literally seconds before the tornado was on top of me. I thought it was strange for someone to make that comment, but I also know that when you're in that moment sometimes you say things without even thinking about it. I assumed that's what happened.
It bothered me though. Every few months since the storm I'd search the internet and look for video of Channel 48's broadcast that day. I wanted to prove to myself that they really said that. I've seen a few videos on Youtube, but I could tell that they were edited - jumping ahead in time to track certain storms. Over 16 months later I still couldn't let that go. I still searched for video. Then a few days ago I found it. I found the video I'd been looking for - an unedited version of the broadcast from April 27. Only it brought more questions than answers.
I did hear them talk about seeing the tornado on Alfa cam and their voices getting a little more excited, worried, when they actually saw it. The broadcast kept going, but no one made the comment about this tornado being the one that could kill people. I now have my answer. Channel 48 didn't make that comment. But I heard it. Which changes the question from "did the news really say that?" to "Since they didn't say it, then who did?". I now have a new lingering question to add to my list:
Who was the voice in the closet that afternoon?
Friday, September 14, 2012
Blood Donors
On the way home from work today I passed by the Dollar General in East Limestone, and the mobile blood donor bus was parked there. The famous red wind sock man was dancing in the parking lot next to it. I really wanted to stop and donate blood, but I can't. Not until next April.
I've never donated blood before. That's not something that I'm proud of. I didn't know how my mitral valve prolapse would react to donating blood, and I never made any attempt to find out. I found out the hard way just how important blood donation is. I lay in the hospital bed after giving birth back in March, shaking uncontrollably because I'd lost so much blood. Walking from the bed to the bathroom in my hospital room and back took everything I had in me. I even had to hold on to someone, or something, the whole way there and back. Then I'd lay there for awhile shaking with my heart racing. After a day of my blood levels staying just above the point where transfusions are ordered, I ended up receiving two units of blood.
Exactly a week later, I'd be back in the hospital receiving two more units of blood. I learned just how important blood donors are to the medical world. As advanced as our medical system is, there is still no substitute for human blood. Sadly, it seems there is always a shortage in our area - probably because of people like me who don't donate. Those four units of blood in the spring changed that. As soon as my one year post transfusion waiting period is up next April, I plan on donating blood for the first time. It's the only way I know how to thank the anonymous donors who gave me the blood I needed.
I've never donated blood before. That's not something that I'm proud of. I didn't know how my mitral valve prolapse would react to donating blood, and I never made any attempt to find out. I found out the hard way just how important blood donation is. I lay in the hospital bed after giving birth back in March, shaking uncontrollably because I'd lost so much blood. Walking from the bed to the bathroom in my hospital room and back took everything I had in me. I even had to hold on to someone, or something, the whole way there and back. Then I'd lay there for awhile shaking with my heart racing. After a day of my blood levels staying just above the point where transfusions are ordered, I ended up receiving two units of blood.
Exactly a week later, I'd be back in the hospital receiving two more units of blood. I learned just how important blood donors are to the medical world. As advanced as our medical system is, there is still no substitute for human blood. Sadly, it seems there is always a shortage in our area - probably because of people like me who don't donate. Those four units of blood in the spring changed that. As soon as my one year post transfusion waiting period is up next April, I plan on donating blood for the first time. It's the only way I know how to thank the anonymous donors who gave me the blood I needed.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
A New Road
It's been an interesting few weeks - heck, it's been an interesting few years! Life has thrown so many unexpected curves at us that sometimes all I can do is shake my head. I might not believe all of this happened if I hadn't lived it myself.
What started out as an innocent Wednesday morning on April 27, 2011 ended up completely changing my life. By the end of that day I was homeless and traumatized by what will go down in history as one of the worst days the state of Alabama has ever seen. I'm so thankful and blessed that God spared my life that day.
What started out as a way to let everyone know what happened that day turned into a private journal that helped me release some of the pain and heartache I carried with me. Originally I planned to keep the journal for a year so our future children would have a detailed record of our first year of tornado recovery. I think that journal was meant for a higher purpose though. It does something that no one has done before. It lets people into the heart and mind of one survivor during an entire year of their life. It's scary knowing that soon anyone will be able to know every thought I had for a year, good and bad, but I think it's something God wanted me to do. He gave me a miracle, and then He gave me a voice.
The last few weeks I've spent the nights after work getting the book ready to be published. It's available online now and in the next few days copies will be available from me. I have a local book signing in the works too. If you read my book and you like it please help spread the word about it. I don't know what this road in life holds for me, but I feel like God is holding my hand leading me where He wants me to go right now. All I have to do is follow.
Book Information:
Sheltered By God: A Year in the Life of An April 27, 2011 Tornado Survivor
Available on:
iUniverse: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000600842/Sheltered-By-God.aspx
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sheltered-by-god-jennifer-pitts-adair/1112714606?ean=9781475944198
What started out as an innocent Wednesday morning on April 27, 2011 ended up completely changing my life. By the end of that day I was homeless and traumatized by what will go down in history as one of the worst days the state of Alabama has ever seen. I'm so thankful and blessed that God spared my life that day.
What started out as a way to let everyone know what happened that day turned into a private journal that helped me release some of the pain and heartache I carried with me. Originally I planned to keep the journal for a year so our future children would have a detailed record of our first year of tornado recovery. I think that journal was meant for a higher purpose though. It does something that no one has done before. It lets people into the heart and mind of one survivor during an entire year of their life. It's scary knowing that soon anyone will be able to know every thought I had for a year, good and bad, but I think it's something God wanted me to do. He gave me a miracle, and then He gave me a voice.
The last few weeks I've spent the nights after work getting the book ready to be published. It's available online now and in the next few days copies will be available from me. I have a local book signing in the works too. If you read my book and you like it please help spread the word about it. I don't know what this road in life holds for me, but I feel like God is holding my hand leading me where He wants me to go right now. All I have to do is follow.
Book Information:
Sheltered By God: A Year in the Life of An April 27, 2011 Tornado Survivor
Available on:
iUniverse: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000600842/Sheltered-By-God.aspx
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sheltered-by-god-jennifer-pitts-adair/1112714606?ean=9781475944198
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