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SOCIAL MEDIA

A Sad Day in Alabama History

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Yesterday's tornado outbreak unfortunately made history.  The death toll has reached 131 in Alabama and is expected to rise.  My heart is breaking for those affected close to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.  Parents are frantically arriving in Tuscaloosa looking for their missing children who are students at the university.  I saw a couple from Texas looking for their daughter, and I can't get them off my mind.

My immediate family is okay, and we did not have any damage to our property in Birmingham. Our neighborhood on Lake Martin in Dadeville, Alabama, was directly hit by tornado, but we have not heard of any injuries to our neighbors or damage to our property yet (the cell towers around Alabama are down).  I am thankful we were in Birmingham rather than Dadeville!  We did have some friends and family who sustained property damage in Jefferson and Walker counties, but they were not injured, thankfully.

I have some fun posts ready, especially one about the Royal Wedding.  I just don't feel like posting about it now, but maybe I will later on today.  I don't want to disappoint my daughters because they have been excited about the wedding.  My oldest has school today, and she was apprehensive about going.  She attends school in downtown Birmingham, and all of the Birmingham City and Jefferson County schools are closed.  It took her two hours and fifteen minutes to get to her school which is only fourteen miles from our home.

I want to thank you for all the kind emails.  Our internet went down last night, and we are now back online, but I am unsure for how long.  If I do not get back to you immediately, please understand that I am a little busy, and I have a couple of folks I need to help today.


Photobucket

{The sunrise breaking over Double Oak Mountain and shining on Oak Mountain this morning.}


~Ricki Jill



29 comments

  1. It is so heartbreaking that all of this devastation is surrounding our area. I saw the same couple from Dallas on tv and they have been on my mind as well. I'm glad you and your family are safe. I feel exactly the same way about posting my usual stuff. It just seems so insignificant amidst all the tragedy.

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  2. Hi Ricki! I am so glad to hear that you and your family are okay. What a horrific tragedy for your state. I was just stunned when I read about all the damage and lives lost. Take care of yourself and your family. We will all be praying for those who lost loved ones.

    Lots of love,
    Susan and Bentley
    xxoo

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  3. Ricki, I'm relieved to know you and your family are safe. All the devastation breaks my heart. I heard from Emily -The French Hutch. She and her husband are OK, but much damage to the town. Thanks for posting to let us know you are OK. ~ Sarah

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  4. I was just reading about the Tornadoes and thinking of you. I'm glad you and your family are ok. I can't believe all the destruction. I'm so fortunate that it missed us down here. We had high winds all day and pouring rain and winds at night. I'm terrified of Tornadoes and every time we get a warning I hide in the safe room and pray.

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  5. Thanks for the update. I was concerned. I am so glad you are okay! It is heartbreaking for sure.

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  6. So glad to know that you are safe Ricki ... prayers are lifting for all those affected by this tragic storm. This storm passed thru us last night & well into this morn. We had tornadoes touch down around us & horrible rains ...our town was like the hot seat for it passing over.

    Have a great weekend, my friend.
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  7. I opened your blog first thing this morning to see if you had written. What a terrible day. I'm so sorry for everyone there and across the south that was hit. We were in the tornado that hit your area in 2000 and it brought back all of the memories of that! We had stopped in Tuscaloosa at Ruby Tuesday's to eat lunch and were huddled in the restrooms when it hit. There was damage everywhere and we will never forget it. It's indescribable. My love to you my friend and my prayers for everyone there! ♥

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  8. I've been thinking about you. Luckily all of my family is just fine, as well. I'm so sorry about your lake Martin home.

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  9. Hi Ricki! I am relieved to here you and your family are okay. My husband was just talking to me about the storms...he was watching some footage last night and said how scary it was.
    Hopefully this is it for the storm!
    I cannot imagine being those parents looking for their children...I don't even want to think about it.

    Pamela xo

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  10. I am so glad that you and your family are ok. What a tragic time for so many families affected by the tornados.

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  11. My prayers are with you and those affected. I am so sorry!

    Take care,
    Pam

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  12. I immediately thought of you when I heard about the tornado outbreak. I am glad your family is okay, but my heart breaks for everyone who suffered so much... An angry storm for certain... Hugs and love from Missouri.

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  13. I love that sunrise photo. I've always thought about moving to Birmingham. I love the area and the mountains there.

    I was in awe at the damage and destruction. The pictures of the actual tornado shows it huge. Maybe a mile wide. I am so sorry for those people across the Tuscaloosa area and other areas who sustained damage and loss of lives. This has been a horrible year and like you said going down in the history books. Yesterday is going down in history. Glad you are safe. I've been thinking of you all evening and morning wondering how you are. Glad you were able to post and let us know.

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  14. I am so happy to see your post today! I hadn't expected that you would have the internet after the devastation. I was thinking about you all night last night and this morning hoping all was okay with you and your family. You are not likely to ever forget this. How did Bonnie fare through all the storms?

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  15. Hi Ricki, thank God you and your family are OK. It is very very difficult to watch these families and their devastation. Just horrible. I pray for them all!
    XO

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  16. I'm relieved to hear you and your family are okay. We have been watching and reading about all the tornadoes and storms down your way and many prayers are being sad. Hopefully it is over.

    XO,
    Jane

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  17. I am so glad you are okay and safe. I was glued to the weather channel last night and kept wondering if you were near the funnel cloud and if you were safe. Just checked in to see if you posted. Thank goodness but yes that is a horrible death toll. I cannot believe it. So sad for so many that it can just happen that quick.

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  18. This evening after work I am immediately run to your blog to see if you had a new post ...and luckily there was, which means that you're ok ... I'm very close to you and your family, Annalisa

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  19. So glad you are okay! I thought about you off and on all night and today. Praying for all those affected.

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  20. I thought a lot about the kids of Univerity of Alabama after I saw the video shot from there yesterday. So scary for them, and for their families waiting to hear if they are okay.

    Glad to hear your family is ok. Hope your Lake Martin neighborhood survived without too much damage. Your pictures of the area around your homes are always so beautiful. Praying that the worst if over for all of you.
    Carole (Stapes)

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  21. Thank you for posting. I was thinking about you and other Alabama friends. Here in NC, we're glued to the weather channel, and prepared to take cover. There's only so much you can do. Glad you're safe.

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  22. I'm very glad to hear from you. The images we are seeing are simply beyond what I can imagine and I live where we do get tornadoes...just nothing that large. We pass through the Birmingham area on our way to Florida several times a year. In December we stayed at the Marriott Ross Bridge and found the people to be so lovely and the area so pretty it is hard to imagine that such destruction is so close to where we stayed. I'm glad you are safe and my prayers are with those who weren't so lucky.

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  23. I'm so glad to read you are all okay. I've been thinking of you all day. What a devastating loss.

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  24. I'm glad to hear that you & your family are ok. All of this bad weather lately worries me. My heart goes out to all that have suffered because of the tornadoes.

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  25. Oh poop! This is such an unbelievable tragedy! I am trying to figure out why people were not warned, there were so many deaths and injuries. Maybe a little royal wedding is just what the kids will need, tragedies are so hard on them. We will be here when you get back

    Carol

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  26. I am so glad ya'll are ok. Came here specifically to check on ya. I had sent an e-mail and didn't hear back. Praying for all affected by these storms.

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  27. Oh, I was thinking about you. I have not had internet access until now so I am glad to see you are okay! What a sad situation. Glad you and your family are safe.

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  28. How devastating! I'm so relieved that you and your family are OK though! xx

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  29. Ricki,
    I'm so happy to hear from you and that you and your family came thru okay...I sure hope your home on Lake Martin is okay. I have been talking to Rhonda (she lives in Stillwaters) and she said there is lots of damage. I just received word from my mom that three of her childhood friends died in her hometown in rual Mississippi...this is all so very sad.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

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