It's a Terrible, Horrible, Amazingly Blessed Kinda Day

The snow had just started.

Snow, it is the four letter word here in Alabama.  It sends fear into the heart of every mother.  Last night they predicted that we would get just a dusting.  Um, they messed up our forecast by just a bit.  Our favorite weatherman in town has called it a "horrible forcasting error".  We received around 2 inches, and it hit fast.

My totally precious
Zumba instructor, Kaitlin.

Now, if you are reading this in a state that gets a lot of snow, I know you're laughing.  You know what, I would be too.  What you need to realize is that we don't get a lot of snow.  We are in the deep south.  We do summer really well, not snow.  As a matter of fact, after Christmas, I would be so totally ok if spring would come.  I am done with winter.

Here's the Terrible, Horrible...

The snow hit so fast that within 30 minutes you couldn't drive on the roads.  At this point in time (around 10:30 this morning) the schools had not be let out, because they were still saying it was going to "just be a dusting".

There's the family truckster left in the
middle of the road...crazy Hummer driver
to the right.

Oh yeah, it's really hilly where I live.  Frozen roads + hills + very few with 4WD = sliding cars & wrecks.  I had to abandon my car on a hill.  I just parked on the road because I had started slipping.  There was a lady in front of me that ended up getting pushed into the 'ole family truckster as she was trying to get pulled up the hill by a car with 4 wheel drive.  Hey thanks for that.  How about you just leave it.  There are hundreds of people that did.  I was almost hit by a Hummer that was sliding in circles down the hill.  Boy was he fighting it though.  Then I look up & another car hit a tree.  It was CrAZy out there today!  I hope my insurance agent has his pencil sharpened and ready to go.  YIKES!

Now for the amazingly blessed...

One of the MANY pileups we saw.

First off, I need to give a shoutout to my friend, Martha D.  After I had to abandon my car, I walked to Martha's house & begged for sanctuary.  Martha is the kind of person who is happiest when her home is full of people.  We were texting & calling trying to figure out about all our people.  Mamma Bear to ya'.

There are a lot of teachers who are staying at their schools because there are parents who could not get to their children.  God bless them for taking care of those sweet kiddos.  Many of these teachers have children of their own that they will not be able to be with tonight.  I have not heard one of them complain.  Many are posting about how much they love the kids in their schools.  How blessed am I to have such great educators teaching my children?

There are many children who are bunking at friend's homes.  Parents are stuck at work because the roads are impassible.  Some are still stuck in their cars because the roads are icy and there are wrecks everywhere.
There were boys out pushing people's cars up a hill because the wheels were spinning.  There were people standing outside in the freezing weather to warn drivers that roads were totally blocked with wrecked cars.  There were people handing out water to people walking home after they had to abandon their cars.

A local sandwich shop was handing out sandwiches and drinks to people who were walking home in the freezing weather.  A local grocery store was giving out food and drinks to people who were coming in to warm up.  People with 4WD trucks were helping parents get children, carting walkers where they needed to go, and what ever else was needed to serve our little village.

You know, those good Samaritans out there helping people were not doing it because they had to.  They were doing it because it's what we do in our town.  You need help, all you have to do is ask.  It's pressure that makes coal into a diamond.  I saw quite a few diamonds today.  :)

To all those out there helping people, thank you, thank you, thank you!  You never know how blessed you are until you are at the mercy of your neighbors.  I have to say, I have some pretty rockin' neighbors.  Love my city!

Celebrating Life!
~ashley