November 17, 2013

It's been a month. I'm just now able to talk about it without shaking uncontrollably.

We survived an EF4 tornado. We shouldn't have.

That Sunday morning we were upstairs putting up the Christmas tree. We knew the baby would be coming soon and were trying to have as much done as possible. I had been talking to my mom that morning - telling her not to go to Pekin because they were talking about severe weather - and Pekin is always getting hit.

When the sirens went off we headed for the basement. Aiden had been running a fever that morning and running around in a diaper and shirt so I asked Chad to run back up and get pants and socks for him. We had the news on the tv in the basement. Listening to it, we thought it was more in the East Peoria / Creve Couer area - no mention of Washington. I got up to go to the bathroom - 'cus that's what you do when you're 32 weeks and 2 days pregnant. The power went out and I was angry since I was in a dark room with my pants down. When I got out and rounded the corner I sat back on the couch for maybe 30 seconds when Chad heard it. It sounded like a loud, gushing wind or torrential downpour, not the freight train everyone talks about. He looked at me and said "Move." He grabbed Aiden and went into the room at the front, right of our basement under the dining room. He locked Sydney, our dog, in her crate. I went for the tornado kit under the stairs. No sooner did I get back in the room, when we heard it hit.

Chad and I knelt in the corner with Aiden on his lap and tightly snuggled in between our locked arms. We heard things being knocked around upstairs. Breaking glass and ripping apart our house. But we didn't know that at the time. I looked at Aiden, thinking it was going to be for the last time and remember saying, "we're going to say a prayer." But I don't remember actually praying (yet I'm sure I was). I then looked at Chad and asked, "is this really happening," to which he confirmed, "yes, it's really happening."

One of my worst fears realized, the tornado passed after what seemed like an eternity. We heard water gushing in the other room and we were sitting in a cloud of dust - a smell I will never forget - drywall and destruction. But we were alive. At the time I didn't think it was that bad. The room around us was intact. The only thing I could see was the staircase, the wall of which had moved some. But I still didn't expect the devastation that actually ensued.

Chad told me to stay put and he went to shut off the water. I opened the tornado kit to assess what I actually had. I handed Aiden the flashlight to turn on and be in charge of. The poor kid had shut down. He didn't talk, didn't cry, did exactly as he was told. I can only imagine what was going through his mind as I was shaking and fumbling with the batteries for the weather radio. Not sure what I thought having that on would do. I got through to 911, but couldn't reach Chad's or my mom. I was worried about all of our family and friends - not knowing how big or small this thing was. Wanting to let everyone know that we were ok.

I wrapped Aiden in a blanket and told him to hold on to his Mickey Mouse and the flashlight and that everything was going to be ok. Then we heard things start to fall above us. Chad had been frantically looking for blankets and ties to fashion temporary shoes, fully expecting what we would be walking out into. Not knowing what condition the subfloor was in, Chad again told me it was time to move. I immediately ran to the staircase - not thinking. I made it almost to the top, super pregnant and carrying a 35 lb toddler when I fell. Chad yelled at me to come back down, because we couldn't go that way. Had I made it to the top and pushed on that door, that wall may have come down. I'm completely convinced that something (someone) made me fall. I caught myself on my elbows, not even hurting Aiden or the baby.

Redirected, I head to the basement window. It had blown out and blocked the ladder in the egress. Chad had found something to cover the glass on the ground there and at the top of the window. I lifted Aiden up to him and then crawled in the window well. Chad had to pull me out since I had no ladder and minimal upper body strength on top of an extra 30 lbs of baby weight.

When I got out, I saw it all for the first time. In front of me there was debris - insulation, wood, drywall, stuffed animals, clothing... Everywhere. It was something I could not (still cannot) comprehend or explain or even describe. It was a disaster in every sense of the word. You see it in the movies or videos or pictures. Nothing does it justice until you literally step into it.

With no shoes on, Chad told me to sit with Aiden. I hadn't looked behind me at the house - just stared out into what had been my backyard. I sat in the living room, or on the subfloor of what used to be my living room, with Aiden on my lap. Somehow our phones connected and our friend Josh, who lives on the other side of 24, said he was at our house. He watched the tornado hit, jumped in his car and drove as far over as he could, then ran the rest of the way to help us. Had we been trapped in the basement, I'm convinced he would have gotten us out. He gave me the shoes off his feet and the two of them jumped into action, finding shoes under the rubble to put on and get us out of there. We then became aware of the gas that was pouring out from where our fireplace once stood and we needed to leave.

I tripped and fell again, this time only somewhat catching myself. We walked from our house down the back of the street and down Westminster. I turned around at one point and took a picture of what was left of my house, thinking that this was the only way I would know which one was ours. It was still daylight. And eerily quiet. I looked at our neighbor's house and prayed they were not in there. There was nothing left. We walked down what used to be the street and saw people wandering around, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Josh drove us back to his house and got us settled. We waited for family to arrive - once we finally got through to them on our cell phones. Then the guys went back to the house to see if Sydney was alright and see if they could save anything. In our panic to get out, I left her in the crate. Luckily she was fine, and now on doggie anxiety medicine.

I haven't been back. The closest I've gotten is Main St. I haven't driven through town. It's surreal to see that there are houses untouched. I don't expect to return to the site anytime soon. The one half wall that remained of our house is gone and the wreckage is stripped to the foundation.

We saved what we could. Both of our wedding rings were found in the rubble. Chad's PS4 Christmas present on the second floor, which made him internet famous. Our fire box with all of the backed up pictures, passports, SS cards, etc. Computer hard drive, an oddly ironic willow figurine depicting the three of us... All from the second floor. The things that were lost that matter and cannot be replaced are much more difficult - all of Aiden's baby things, family heirlooms, handmade quilts, souvenirs from every trip we've ever been on, unity candle, etc. There is nothing left from Aiden's or Brynn's room - the fact that this storm hit during the day is a complete blessing. Though I'm quite confident I will never sleep during a storm again.

But, it's still just stuff. We will build new memories (and a storm shelter). The important things - my husband, son and now daughter (who arrived a mere four days later), are safe. I get to watch these two grow up. A phenomenon I will never take for granted. My only rationale for walking away from this storm with just bruises is that there is more for us to do. Our daughter needed to make it into this world. Now we need to thank the people who helped us in what will hopefully be the darkest hour we ever have to face. To live life to the fullest and cherish the time we have. The healing process will take a while. Chad and I have both panicked hearing airplanes or gushes of wind. Aiden is a little out of sorts, but doesn't seem to remember it.

But as Josh said, our home did it's job. It kept us safe. And for that we will always be thankful.


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