April 27th: One Year Later...

One year has passed since the tornadoes of April 27th. One year. Wow. As I read through my Facebook news feed today, April 27th 2012, all of my memories from that day seem so fresh. Many of my friends and classmates are using the one year anniversary as a time to reflect on that day, and I have decided to do the same. While reading their reflections, and paging through their pictures from that horrendous afternoon, I have begun to revisit my own memories and photos. It shocks me that one year has passed since that day. It literally feels like yesterday.

Unlike most people in Tuscaloosa, I was prepared for April 27th days in advance. I have always been a bit of a weather nerd, so I had been following the news of the approaching storm for the three days prior to that Wednesday. I have been through enough thunderstorms in Alabama that I wasn't honestly expecting anything major. Thunderstorm and tornado warnings come almost weekly in the south, so I expected a few warnings to be issued, and perhaps a few small tornadoes to touch down. Not a big deal, right? I monitored the weather daily, not because I was concerned for my own safety, but because I was hoping that the situation would become severe enough so as to cancel school for the 27th. April 27th fell during the last week of my student teaching, and I was totally overwhelmed with schoolwork. I had a few loose ends to tie up at Sipsey Valley Middle School, schoolwork to complete for my final graduate class, and wedding planning that I had put off for far too long. A day off from student teaching would give me time to catch up on each of these things, as well as time to relax and catch up on sleep. When I went to bed on the night of the 26th, I prayed to wake up to news of cancelled county schools. I set my alarm for 5:15 AM, and fell into a deep sleep.

At 4:30 AM I was jolted awake by the sound of thunder and hail. I forced myself out of bed, and padded to the living room to turn on the television. Before I could even find the remote, I was distracted by flashes from the front picture window. I had never seen lightening like that in my life. It was continual, and comparable to what one might see when standing in the same room as a strobe light. As I turned on the television to check the weather, my phone began to ring. Who in the heck was calling me at 4:30 in the morning? As soon as I answered, I heard my mom's voice on the opposite end of the line. She apologized for waking me, and asked me if I was following the weather. I explained to her that I had been drawn out of bed early because of the thunder, lightening, and hail, but that I had yet to look closely at a radar. She proceeded to tell me that she was in the storm shelter with my dad, and that a tornado warning had already been issued for their area. I got off the phone with her and promised to immediately check the weather for my own area. As I flipped through the channels looking for ABC 3340, my roommate entered the room. I assumed that she had been awakened by my phone call, and I apologized profusely for waking her at such an early hour. She quickly assured me that it was the weather, not my phone call, that had called her out of bed. Anyone who knows Ricki well, knows that she is an incredibly heavy sleeper. The fact that she had been pulled from sleep by the weather, is a true testament to how loud things were outside.

As we settled on the couch and located James Spann on ABC 3340, we finally realized the intensity of this weather system. By 5:00 AM, Tuscaloosa County was already under three different tornado warnings. As James Spann rattled off a list of communities in the path of each of these three funnels, I breathed a sigh of relief. Our apartment complex did not seem to be in the path of any of these storms. Ricki decided to return to bed so that she could catch a few more hours of shut-eye before her 8:00 AM class. Since I was already awake, I stayed on the couch to await word on the status of school for the day. Around 6:15 AM I received word from my supervising teacher that the county schools were closing for the day. I celebrated inwardly, thrilled that I would have time to do schoolwork, sleep, and wedding plan.

By the time Ricki had to leave for classes at UA, the weather had completely calmed. Ricki had been hoping that her classes would be cancelled for the day as well, so we were both pretty bummed that she had to report to campus. Before she left, we checked the weather to make sure that Tuscaloosa had seen the last of the severe storms. We were shocked to see that a tornado had struck the Coaling area of Tuscaloosa. Many people had lost homes, and portions of the Mercedes plant had been damaged. We had no idea that a tornado would come later in the afternoon that would cause most people to forget about the smaller storm earlier in the day. As the weathermen discussed the morning storm, they continually emphasized that the state of Alabama would see a more intense line later in the day. They warned viewers that Central Alabama would experience a 4-6 hour break in the storms, and that the second line would arrive early/late afternoon. The weathermen also mentioned that the storms would be more severe if the sun came out during the day, or if the temperatures climbed. The heating of the atmosphere was to be their their primary concern as the day progressed. After watching the weather, Ricki left for class, assured that she would make it back to the apartment before round two.

While Ricki was on campus, I made a few wedding related phone calls and took a long nap on the couch. As I was preparing to begin my schoolwork, I received an email from Matt. He filled me in on the weather situation in his area (two hours north of me, forty-five minutes east of mom). North Alabama was getting hammered, and Matt had already been instructed to move his class into an interior hallway. Over the next two hours, he would spend his time between the hallway and his classroom. When a lull in tornado warnings finally arrived, I received another email from him saying that Madison City Schools were releasing early for the day. I told him to keep me updated on conditions in Madison, and I began my schoolwork.

As the morning passed, I received multiple phone calls from Matt and my mom. The weather in North Alabama was becoming increasingly dangerous, and they promised to keep me updated on their whereabouts and safety. I was very worried about Matt, since he had nowhere to go if a tornado tracked in his direction. I did not trust his tiny apartment to protect him. My mom, on the other hand, had access to a storm shelter. I trusted that she would stay weather alert and make smart decisions throughout the day.

Around noon, I received a phone call from my friend Whitney. Wednesday happened to be her day off from work, and she wanted me to join her on a quick grocery shopping trip. Since I had showered earlier that morning, I threw on shorts and a t-shirt and met her downstairs. The storms of that morning had given way to an absolutely beautiful day. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue, and the temperatures were already reaching the low nineties. Though the summer-like weather was a bit early for late April, I loved the sudden jump in temperature. As Whitney and I spent the afternoon running a few errands, I remember commenting on the heat and frequent wind. At one point, Whitney and I chased a sheet of coupons across the parking lot that the wind had ripped out of her hand. While out, we also ran into our friend Hannah. Hannah was also teaching in the county school system, and we both shared a laugh on the fact that it seemed as if the schools had been turned out for no reason. We definitely were not going to complain about a day off though!

As we finished up our errands, we decided to grab a late lunch at Zaxby's. This proved to be a great idea, since it would be the last meal we would eat for almost 24 hours. We picked up lunch, and decided to go have a tornado party at our friend Wesley's apartment. Our entire group of friends lived in our complex, The Links at Tuscaloosa, but Wesley was the only one of us with a downstairs apartment. Whitney and I decided that IF the weather got bad, we would be safer in Wesley's place than in our respective apartments. At this point though, we weren't really expecting much to come from the next line of storms. Wesley, Whitney, and I spent the next few hours catching up on life and watching television. Around 2:30 PM, Ricki joined our party after she finished class. I had been keeping up with Matt and my mom throughout the afternoon, and my mom mentioned that she had already lost power. Every time that I spoke with her she was in the storm shelter with my grandparents or other neighbors. Matt was also facing scary weather, and I continued to encourage him to find a more sturdy building in which to seek shelter.

Around 3:00 PM we changed the channel from a sitcom to check on the local weather. Though Central Alabama was still the clear, FOX 6 was showing a live feed of a tornado that was tearing through the city of Cullman. Cullman is roughly 1.5 hours from Tuscaloosa, and 30 minutes from where my mom was hunkering down. It was very eery to see an actual shot of a tornado on the ground, and even more disturbing to see the debris of homes and businesses flying through the air. Seeing the tornado on the ground finally opened my eyes to the seriousness of the situation. For the first time all day, I began to get seriously concerned. My mom also called around this time to let me know that East Mississippi was receiving terrible storms, and that this line would soon be heading toward Tuscaloosa. As soon as I got off the phone with my mom, I began questioning whether or not we should try to seek shelter underground. I was starting to get very nervous, and I wanted to make sure I was in as safe of a place as possible. Whitney seemed to agree that we needed to find a safer place than Wesley's apartment, and she phoned a coworker to see if we could join her family in their basement. Whitney's coworker Jessica told us that we could use their basement, so Whitney, Ricki, and I raced down Highway 69 South to seek safety before the storms arrived.

Within thirty minutes of our arrival, Tuscaloosa County was placed under a tornado warning. The first cell seemed to be going away from us, but another cell, further to the west, looked as if it could come straight through us. By this time, Jessica's mom had arrived home from work. After a few minutes of examining the radar, she ordered us all to the basement. Whitney, Ricki, and I, along with Jessica, her sister, fiance, and mother, descended into the basement with pillows, blankets, and a mattress. After a few minutes in the basement, the house lost power. Since we could no longer rely on weather bulletins from the television, Jessica's mom found an old radio, which she tuned to a local radio station. The radio station had abandoned their regular programming, and were instead playing the audio from the local news station. We quickly learned that a large tornado had been spotted, on the ground, very near where we were taking shelter. The weatherman on duty began telling everyone within the city of Tuscaloosa to take cover. He began running through a list of communities in the tornado's path. When I heard him say Taylorville (which is where we were taking shelter), I began to panic. Only later would we find out that his track of the storm was off by a couple of miles.

Since we believed that the tornado was about to bear down on us, we all crawled under the stairs in the basement. While we surrounded ourselves with pillows and blankets, Jessica's mom stood at a small window in an attempt to see the tornado. After a few moments at her post, she began yelling at us to stay put. She believed that what she was seeing was the tornado. The panic in her voice terrified me, and I remember holding tightly to Whitney. She could not help but to laugh at me, since my body was shaking. I had also been texting Matt throughout the entire ordeal, and he was aware of what was taking place in Tuscaloosa. He knew that the tornado was incredibly large, and very close to where we were taking shelter. He began to question me about whether we could hear or see anything. At one point I told him that Jessica's mom could see the tornado, and that he really needed to pray. Unfortunately, that was the last he heard from me for over 24 hours. After a few more moments had passed, Jessica's mom realized that the storm was moving away from us. She yelled at us to come to the window to look at the backside of the storm. Needless to say, it took a bit of coaxing to get me to come out!

Once the reality sunk in that there was a large tornado on the ground in Tuscaloosa, we all began trying to find out what areas of the city had been impacted. We had turned off the radio earlier in order to save batteries, and we quickly turned it back on so that we might hear news of the tornado's path. Though we did not know it at the time, the initial reports were full of false information. The radio reported that the mall, as well as the hospital, had taken direct hits. The tornado did cause minor damage at both of these places, but that initial report turned out to be false. As we learned that the tornado had indeed gone through the heart of the city, we began to worry about many of our friends and classmates. We all knew multiple people who lived in the path of the storm, and we frantically tried to reach them. Unfortunately, communication by cell phone or land line was virtually impossible. The cell tower nearest to mine and Ricki's apartment was lying in a twisted heap on the side of the highway, and since cell phones could not get service, most land land lines were jammed with callers. I tried at least twenty times to get in touch with Matt and my family, but my attempts were unsuccessful. I knew that they all would be incredibly worried, and I wanted to let them know that I was okay.

After several minutes of unsuccessful communication attempts, the land line phone at Jessica's house began to ring. Her mother quickly snatched up the receiver, and it became clear after a few moments that she was speaking with the hospital. Upon hanging up, she told us that all nurses were being dispatched to DCH to help triage the flood of injured that were expected to begin pouring into the hospital. She had been told that the hospital had only minor damage, but was without power. Power for all of the lifesaving equipment was being provided by a generator. She hurried upstairs to grab items that she would need to take with her to the hospital. Meanwhile, the radio station began warning listeners that another tornado was on the way. This tornado never materialized, but at the time we were very concerned that Jessica's mom was going to be on the road when the other tornado hit.

Since we were concerned that another storm was on its way, Ricki, Whitney, and I stayed in the basement until almost 7:00 PM. Once we felt as if  the danger had passed, we began planning to drive back to Wesley's apartment. We still were unsure of the tornado's exact path, so we wanted to make sure to get back to Wesley's before dark. We knew there was a possibility that we would have to drive over downed power lines and debris, and this was something we definitely did not want to do in the dark. The tornado had actually crossed on the opposite side of our complex, so we were able to make it back without incident.

After arriving at Wesley's apartment, we all made the decision to spend the night together. None of us had power, and were all a bit shocked at what had taken place that afternoon. As the night stretched on, more friends arrived at Wesley's place. By this time, the communication lines were SLOWLY beginning to open. Though it was still incredibly difficult to communicate, it was possible to get out on the fourth or fifth attempt. Since North Alabama was also experiencing cell tower issues, I had a very hard time getting in touch with my family. I knew there was a possibility that Matt had called his parents, so I dialed his dad in the hopes that he might hold information on Matt's whereabouts.

I got through to Brian on the first try, and began peppering him with questions regarding Matt. It was obvious that he was not aware of the gravity of the situation in Tuscaloosa (or statewide), and seemed a bit surprised that I was calling. He told me that he had talked to Matt earlier in the day, but had not talked to him since. He promised to call me back if he were to hear anything, and I ended the phone call. I made one last ditch effort to contact my family, and was finally able to get through to my dad. At this time, my dad was working in Nashville, so he was well out of harm's way. I let him know that I was okay, and that mine and Ricki's apartment had not received any damage. He told me that he had been in contact with Matt, and that he was safe and planning to spend the night with a coworker. Dad also informed me that my mom had let her phone die earlier in the afternoon, so he had not been in touch with her in several hours. He was certain that she was safe, but he told me that I probably would not be able to get in touch with her for awhile. The last he had heard from her was that the wind had ripped our front screen door from the hinges, but that our house was not in the path of any of the day's many tornadoes.

I was so relieved to hear that my family was okay, but my thoughts quickly shifted to friends and classmates that were scattered across the city. By this time, we had learned that 15th Street and portions of McFarland Blvd. had taken a direct hit. I began trying to reach those that I knew in the impacted areas, but since several cell towers had been destroyed, my attempts were futile. Ricki was also trying to reach friends and classmates, and spent a large part of the night trying to reach her former roommate. We knew knew that Kayla lived right on 15th Street, and that she had most likely been impacted. We found out the next morning that she was okay, but her story of survival was, and is, incredible. Here is a link to her experience on April 27th: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1186008/index.htm , as well as that of many other UA athletes.

As we walked around outside of Wesley's apartment in an attempt to get cell phone service, I was struck by the surreal situation in which we found ourselves. Our entire complex, as well as most of the state, was without power. Many people in the surrounding buildings were rolling out grills, since cooking in any other fashion was out of the question. As the clouds moved off to the east, our complex turned into one giant cookout. Dozens of students were outside, holding their phones in every conceivable position in an attempt to reach friends and family members. I could tell by their outward acts of frustration that most of them were not having much success either. The thing that was the most unnerving, however, was the silence. Tuscaloosa had already been placed under a curfew, thus eliminating most traffic noise. Without power, the hum of appliances and electronics was missing. The complete and total silence made Tuscaloosa feel like some otherworldly place.

Most of us gave up pretty quickly on trying to reach friends and family via phone calls, when we realized that those with smart phones could access the internet. Instead of dialing out repeatedly, I could simply update my Facebook status to let my loved ones know that I was safe. It was through this initial check of Facebook that we learned that many of our friends and family members had made it through the day's storms. Facebook, as well as YouTube, also served to open our eyes to the horror of the day. Though many of us knew that the tornado had been monstrous, we did not truly realize its impact until we began viewing videos online.

Seeing pictures of the destruction online was shocking. As we clicked through pictures on Facebook, each of us was able to point out popular restaurants and businesses that had been reduced to a pile of rubble. Hokkaido, the restaurant where we had recently celebrated Matt's birthday, was gone. The Hobby Lobby, which I had frequented to buy wedding supplies, was gone.  Summer Snow, one of our favorite places for shaved ice during the summer, was gone. The Express Lube, where I had been just the day before to have my oil changed, was gone. We looked through countless photos that night, and often someone would say "Wait, (insert business or part of the city) was destroyed too!" Every photo and video seemed to be more shocking than the last.

At some point during the wee hours of the morning, each of us claimed a section of floor in an attempt to get some sleep. By this point there were roughly ten of us in Wesley's apartment, so very few of us actually got any rest. On top of being unable to get into a comfortable position, I found myself unable to sleep because of all of the questions swirling around in my head. Did I know anyone who had been killed, injured, or had lost their home? Was my family, spread throughout the state of Alabama, okay? What was going to come of the rest of the semester? Would we finish our classes? Would I be allowed to graduate? The night was definitely a long and sleepless one.

When we all woke the next morning, we were all itching to drive to ground zero and help. Since a large part of the rescue and recovery effort had to wait for daylight, however, most volunteers were being kept out of the hardest hit areas. Since volunteering was not yet an option, we decided to venture out to find food and gas. As college kids, we were totally unprepared for a disaster of this magnitude. Most of the food that we did have was frozen, and since we had no power, we had no way to prepare it. Since finals were supposed to be taking place the next week, many of us had planned to grab dinner while on campus. Because we were planning to spend very little time at our respective apartments, none of us had picked up any groceries. Thankfully, finding food and gas was not as difficult as we had originally thought. Ricki and I were able to find gas at the second station we visited, and a McDonald's in a neighboring community was up and running. Finding a business with power also enabled me to charge my phone, and I was able to get into contact with my mom, and other family members, later that afternoon. After charging my phone, I was shocked to see how many calls and text messages I had missed. I had over twenty missed calls and seventy missed text messages. Seeing calls and texts from friends and family out of state, showed me that what had happened in Tuscaloosa was now a national news story.

After lunch, Ricki and I drove back to our apartment to shower. This everyday task was a bit difficult since both of our bathrooms were located in the interior of our apartment. With no windows or power, we had to shower by flashlight. Despite the inconvenience, I remember feeling blessed that the worst of my problems was a cold, dark, shower. So many people across the state no longer even had a toothbrush to their name!

Despite the fact that we could not yet volunteer, Ricki and I drove to campus to see if we could locate friends. Ricki had still not heard from her old roommate, so we planned to walk to Kayla's apartment to see if we could find out her status. While there, we also planned to view the devastation for ourselves. After parking at the baseball field, we began to walk towards 15th Street. As we neared the street, we were told that proof of residency was required to enter the damaged areas. Instead of trying to bluff our way through, we turned around and decided to walk to the top of the parking deck at DCH. We figured we would have a pretty good view of the city from the top of the hospital.

While I knew that the damage was horrific, I was not at all prepared for what I saw. Large portions of 15th Street and McFarland Blvd. were leveled. Many student apartments were also destroyed, including those where Ricki's friend lived. As we surveyed the devastation, neither of us spoke. There were no words that could even begin to describe what we were seeing and feeling. We also began to realize that many pieces of debris had fallen from the sky onto the parking deck on which we were standing. A couple of the items that were clearly out of place are pictured below.

An air conditioning vent from someone's home or business on the top

of the parking deck at DCH.

A mismatched pair of women's shoes on the top of the parking deck

at DCH.

After spending some time at the hospital, Ricki and I decided to head back to the car. As we came upon the baseball field, Ricki recognized a few of her friends from the baseball team. The team had been out clearing debris all morning, and was meeting at the field for a team lunch. As Ricki engaged the guys in conversation, we discovered that many of them had been directly affected by the tornado. A few of them had lost homes, and had spent the day trying to salvage what little remained of their possessions. One player mentioned that his neighbors, two female students, had lost their lives. He spoke of being at home when their families stopped by the house to find dresses in which to bury them. The stories we heard that day were heartbreaking, and only the first of similar stories that we would continue to hear over the next two months.

Since neither of us wanted to sit in our dark apartment all night, we drove further out of town to stay with a friend from church. Dana's family had power, and were nice enough to feed and house us for the night. For the first time in a day and a half, we were able to think about something other than the tornado. The royal wedding was on TV, and it was strange to see that life was continuing as normal in most places, while the state of Alabama had come to a standstill. Despite the availability of alternative programming, we watched tornado coverage on CNN for most of the evening.While at Dana's I was also finally able to get in touch with Matt. Until he answered the phone, I had no idea how badly I had needed to hear his voice. As soon as he said hello, I began to cry. My tears were a result of mixed emotions. I was so happy that my family, friends, and home were safe, but my heart was so heavy for the people who had lost so very much. As Matt and I swapped stories from the past 24 hours, we decided that he should come to Tuscaloosa. I wanted to stay in town to volunteer, and I needed Matt to see the things that I was seeing. I knew he could not understand how bad things were unless he saw the city for himself. Matt loves Tuscaloosa more than his own hometown, so I knew that it would be important to him to be able to serve the city. Plus, we both knew that school would not resume for some time, so we were assured that he would not have to miss work.

After a relaxing evening and a good night's sleep at Dana's, Ricki and I woke up eager to volunteer. Since large scale relief efforts had not yet been coordinated, we drove to the Forest Lake subdivision, determined to help whoever needed it most. We parked at what used to be a Church of Christ on Hargrove Road, and met up with several other friends from our church, Calvary Baptist.

Having lived on Hargrove Road my first year in Tuscaloosa, I was shocked at how different everything looked. I knew many of those roads like the back of my hand, but with so many landmarks missing, I often found myself confused as to my actual location. The area looked like a bombed out movie set, complete with National Guardsmen holding massive guns.

At the third or fourth house we came too, we found a family who needed help packing up their salvageable belongings. Thankfully, this family had not been at home when the tornado struck. Though many of the inner walls of their home were still standing, a massive oak tree had fallen right through the middle of their home. They were unsure as to whether or not their home would be able to be salvaged. I spent the majority of my afternoon with this family, even as other members of our group moved on to offer assistance elsewhere.

As I spent the afternoon packing books, collectibles, and various other items, I realized how ill-prepared I was to be working in such a heavily damaged area. I had not even remembered to bring gloves! Needless to say, a close friend spent a considerable amount of time picking tiny glass shards out of my hands later that evening! I was not the only member of our group who had shown up unprepared that day, so as curfew approached in Forest Lake, we all drove directly to Lowe's. While there, we picked up gloves, face masks, and other tools that would aid in cleanup. After leaving Lowe's we all went home to get some rest. I can't speak for the others, but I had not completed that much manual labor in a very long time!

The next morning brought more opportunities to serve, as well as more hands eager to help. Matt arrived early Saturday morning, as well as our friend Scott, and my brother. My brother Ethan, who at the time was a student at Auburn University, lived in an area that had not been impacted by Wednesday's storms. Despite the fact that his finals began in two days, he drove three hours to spend his weekend serving the people of Tuscaloosa.

Since volunteer efforts were still being coordinated, our group drove to the same area where we had worked the day before. By this time, volunteers had arrived from across the nation. The Forest Lake area was swarming with volunteers, and we had to walk deep into the subdivision to find families that were not already being assisted. As we walked, Ethan pulled out his video camera and shot the videos below. These videos provide a pretty good look at what Tuscaloosa looked like three days after the storm.

What remained of 15th Street, a main road in Tuscaloosa, two 

days after the storm.

Homes in the Forest Lake subdivision two days after the storm.

More Forest Lake

Video of the Tuscaloosa tornado from UA's basketball arena

(Coleman Coliseum) 

After walking for a half mile or so, we ran across a family who asked for assistance packing up what remained of their belongings. Neil and Christine, whom we worked alongside on Saturday, had lived in Forest Lake for more than a decade. Unfortunately, their home was a complete loss. While we were there that day, Christine came to the realization that her house would need to be torn down in the coming weeks. It was emotional for everyone as she mourned the place that she and her husband had called home for so many years. It was obvious, even when looking at what was left of Neil and Christine's home, that their house had been absolutely beautiful. During work breaks, Neil told us stories about kayaking on the lake late in the evenings, and enjoying coffee on the dock before work in the mornings. Later that same day, we found Neil's kayak under a tree, partially submerged in the lake. Remarkably, it was still in working order!

Though the house was a total loss, we were able to help Neil and Christine salvage many of their belongings. We spent most of the day packing boxes and making trips to a storage facility. The work was exhausting, but it was one of my favorite days of tornado relief work. When we broke for lunch midday, Neil encouraged us to walk a few streets over to eat a meal provided by local churches. When we arrived at the church, I realized that people were coming from across the country to serve those impacted by the storms in Tuscaloosa. We were fed lunch that day by a mission team from Missouri, and over the next two months, I would continue to be amazed at the distance that many traveled to simply lend a hand for a day or two.

As the weekend progressed, many local churches and relief organizations began coordinating efforts that focused on long term recovery. By Sunday, our church, Calvary Baptist, was reaching out to the community in a plethora of ways. Before leaving the church to serve the city that Sunday, our worship leader led the congregation in Chris Tomlin's "God of this City," and as the song ended, there was not a dry eye in the entire building. For those not familiar with the song, I encourage you to look it up and take a listen. The lyrics truly resonated with those of us who had been serving the city over the last several days. The song begins with "You are God of this City, You are King of these people." For many of us who had witnessed so much death and destruction in the preceding days, it was comforting to take a few minutes to pause and recognize that God was still in control. No matter how many homes had been destroyed, or no matter how much higher the death toll would continue to rise, we knew that we followed a God who was so much bigger than everything we were seeing. The chorus of the song was also comforting as Tuscaloosa looked ahead to the cleanup and rebuilding process. As we sang "Greater things are yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city," we knew that it was important to focus on the long term; to be prepared to stand beside and serve the city after the television cameras left and most of the country forgot about April 27th. The brief thirty minutes or so that we spent in prayer and worship was one of the most powerful worship experiences of which I have ever been a part. I had never before been so proud of my church.

As we left the worship center that Sunday, it was difficult to decide which service opportunity in which to participate. There was the option to work in childcare, which involved keeping the children of families who had been impacted by the storm, or the children of those who simply wished to volunteer for a day. There was the option to write thank you notes and create goody bags for the rescue workers who were working around the clock in various communities around the city. Many of the men in the church fired up chainsaws, and worked for hours removing downed trees from homes around the city. The college ministry ran the Convoy of Hope, which was an 18-wheeler stuffed to the gills with food, water, laundry detergent, baby supplies, and cleaning products. Those who had been impacted by the storm could come by the truck for a free trunk load of supplies and a prayer for provision in the coming months.

On that particular Sunday, I chose to go to Martin Luther King Elementary School. Since three schools had been destroyed by the  tornado, other local schools had to prepare to welcome hundreds of new students. Along with a few other girls from the college ministry, I spent the afternoon arranging desks, wiping down surfaces, and attempting to create a welcoming environment for those students forced to change schools. It was incredible to see how quickly everyone had mobilized, and the school was ready to take on new students by the end of the day.

Looking back on those first few days after the storm, I cannot help but to be amazed at how well everyone worked together. What is even more incredible to me, is that that spirit of service to one's neighbor seemed to hold throughout the entire summer. As people began to have their immediate needs addressed, churches and organizations around the city began to focus on meeting the long term needs of those impacted. These things included finding new dwellings for those who had lost their homes, finding alternative means of employment for those whose workplaces were destroyed, and providing people with the material things that were needed for comfortable day to day living.

As the relief efforts began moving into a new direction, I began volunteering with the Calvary Baptist move-in crew. Since my finals and student teaching had been cancelled for the semester, I was available to volunteer almost every day of the week. A typical day working with the move-in crew began at 9am, and ended when we had dropped off the last piece of furniture for the day (usually around 5 PM). Initially, our church signed on to support 25 families, but as the summer progressed, that number grew to more than 85. Adopting these families meant that our church would be locating homes or apartments for displaced families, as well as replacing everything that they had lost. Through the generous donations of church members and others around the country, we were able to provide over 85 families with furniture, dishes, clothing, bedding, toys, etc. In addition to filling a home, our church paid the bills for these families for the three months following the storm. For many families, this was much needed, since their places of employment were taken away by the winds.

To say that I was blessed by this ministry would be the understatement of the year. I have never felt closer to God and more connected to my friends and fellow church members than I did over those two months. Some days were difficult, such as when we dealt with ungrateful recipients or worked with families grieving the loss of multiple family members. Other days were easy, such as when we would work with families with a house full of children or others who had unusually high spirits despite the course that their life had taken on April 27th. Our time moving in families was not all work, either. I remember countless ICEE runs, City Cafe lunches, and all out prank wars between furniture in the youth building. If those 85 families were even half as blessed over those few months as I was, then all of the sweat and sore muscles were well worth it.

Two people that I got the opportunity to know over the course of those two months were Tricia Perkins and Billy Hatmaker. These two incredible people were responsible for coordinating everything that we did on the move-in crew that summer. They found families that needed help, and the resources to help those that needed assistance. Though this may not sound like a complicated job, it took organization and patience like you would not believe. Since we were receiving money and supplies from across the nation, Billy and Tricia had their hands full. Not only did these materials need to be inventoried, but they also had to be matched with those in the community who needed them. Most days Billy and Tricia arrived before the rest of us, and were still at the church when we would leave each day. I consider it a blessing to have had the opportunity to have worked beside them all summer.

The memories that I wrote about in this blog are just snippets of things that I remember from April 27th and the months that followed (I know you're thinking, "Snippets?! This was practically a dissertation!"). It was important to me to get at least some of my memories on paper before the approach of the one year anniversary. April 27th is a day that I will never forget, and I am forever changed by the sights that I witnessed, the people that I met, and those that I was blessed to serve in the days following the tornado. Though I left out many details in the telling of my story, I hope that the photos below will help to fill in the gap.

Please continue to pray for those impacted by the storms of last April. Recovery from storms such as the one faced by the citizens of Tuscaloosa, often takes years. In fact, one year later, many people are only now beginning to rebuild their homes and businesses. Also, continue to pray for those who lost loved ones on that awful day. Though Tuscaloosa received the majority of the news coverage, dozens of other towns across the state were wiped off the map by massive tornadoes on that horrifying day. There are 250 families across the state who continue to grieve the losses of their mothers, fathers, children, spouses, friends, and other loved ones. I pray that we never forget that day. We are Alabama.

Pictures from the days following the tornado:

Messages such as this one could be seen all over Tuscaloosa

in the days following the storm.

This picture shows the power of the winds. This is a piece of 

2X4 that has pieced through a cinder block wall.

15th Street in Tuscaloosa. This street is normally very busy, 

and was formerly full of businesses and restaurants.

Thankfully their were zero fatalities at this home.

What used to be a subdivision.

A SUV, post tornado.

Just another hot and humid day with the move-in crew!

Sweet friends, after a day of working in Forest Lake.

The summer move-in crew!

Just a few of the inventoried items that went out to those 

in Tuscaloosa one day.

I wish I had kept a count of how many mattresses we moved

last summer! I think we moved more mattresses than Mattress King.

Loading the trailer for a delivery!

Amen. Just one of many inspirational quotes (and bible verses) 

that graced the white board in the youth center last summer.

With Jojuan and Mr. Hatmaker. Two of the most hardworking

and uplifting men that I had the privilege to work alongside 

last summer.

May we never forget. 4/27/11

IT'S SPRING ALREADY?!?!?!

Maybe I am the only one, but for me, it seems as if this year has flown by. Matt and I have been married almost nine months (Crazy!), and it is hard for me to believe that I have been living in Madison for that long. I literally feel like I just arrived. While I hate the fact that I feel as if my life is in fast-forward, this spring has brought a lot of fun and excitement to both of our lives.

My last post focused on my attempts to better my life in 2012. I am happy to report that I am well on my way to achieving many of my goals for this year, yet also ashamed to report that many of my goals have fallen by the wayside. Thankfully, most of the year is ahead of me, so I hope to get back on track as the months progress. Since I do not like to dwell on the negative, in this post I will only focus on the positives of the last month and a half.

So, what goals/resolutions have I stuck to thus far?
* Cooking- I mentioned last month that Matt and I were spending way too much money eating out. I swore that I would teach myself how to cook, and that we would eat in whenever possible. I am happy to report that I am becoming quite the accomplished cook! By accomplished, of course I mean that my meals are neither burnt nor undercooked :).  All jokes aside, Matt and I have tried several new recipes over the last several weeks. I am also trying to broaden my horizons in regards to food, so that Matt can have the occasional meal that does not include chicken or pasta! I still have a long way to go on the cooking front, but I am proud of the progress that I have made thus far.
* Finding more time for friends- Since Matt is in the middle of track season and I have three different preps at Sparkman, free time has been difficult to come by in the last few weeks. Despite our busy schedules, however, I think that we have done a pretty good job designating time to spend with friends. The fact that so many of our friends are getting married, has definitely helped us to achieve this goal. Our weekends have been filled with showers, bridal luncheons, and bachelor/bachelorette parties. It has been wonderful to be able to find excuses to get together each weekend. Though Matt and I have done well with designating time for social activities, it has not been easy. Trying to find time to spend with my friends from high school, our friends from college, and our new friends at church can sometimes be a bit difficult. I will say, however, that I am yet to regret taking time out of my schedule to spend with the people I love. My apartment might not get cleaned as often as it should, but that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things anyway.
*Stable employment- While our employment situation has not changed since my last post, I am cautiously optimistic that our employment status could change very soon. Neither Matt or I have received any offers as of yet, but we do have a few leads that we are vigorously pursuing. I hope that the job stresses of the past year and a half will soon be behind us. While jobs for the fall are currently eluding us, we are both doing everything in our power to make ourselves more desirable to prospective employers. My current position at Sparkman has been a Godsend, and I hope my time there will help me to get my foot in the door at one of the county or city schools. This position has also given us a financial boost, since my pay will drastically increase during the month of April. While it has been frustrating to be without work this year, I am thankful to have been given temporary opportunities within the school system. These positions have allowed me to grow as a teacher under the guidance of those who are much more knowledgeable than myself. My time as a permanent sub has also given me the opportunity to teach a variety of different classes, that contain students of every grade and ability level. Due to my student teaching and leaves of absence, I have now worked with 8th-12th grade classes, as well as struggling AND advanced learners. Many of the teachers with whom I have worked have also given me access to their tests, activities, projects, etc. I have created a nice little arsenal of materials that will come in handy once I am able to find a job. When I do land a permanent position, I believe that I will look back and be even more thankful for the opportunities that have allowed me to learn, grow, and make mistakes.
* Travel more- While finances have definitely restricted our ability to travel, Matt and I have found inexpensive ways to escape Huntsville for a few days here and there. Over the course of the past month and a half we have taken two weekend trips with friends to destinations in the Southeast. We have also booked plane tickets to see Matt's family in the summer, and this trip will also double as our anniversary getaway. While Matt has seen just about all California has to offer, I have yet to see some of his favorite places and spaces. During our seventeen days in California we plan to spend some time in San Francisco, Fresno, and Orange County. We have also discussed taking day trips to Yosemite National Park, Disneyland, and Los Angeles. I am excited to spend time with his family, as well as to explore more of his home state.
* Serve others- When I mentioned last month that Matt and I were looking for more opportunities to serve within our community, we had no idea that this same thought was on the hearts of many of the other couples within our Sunday school class. While we have not committed to a specific ministry yet, Matt and I have found many opportunities to serve with our classmates in the coming months. Our church is even teaming up with other churches in the area, to serve the city as one body of believers in late April. I am excited about this event, and I hope that we are able to be a part. Even if we miss this particular event, there are several others in which we will be taking part in the coming months. Praise be to God for helping us to find ways to serve in our new city.

Late February and early March have been such joyous times for the two of us, and the remainder of the spring looks to be no different. Over the next two months we will be attending prom at BJHS (more fun for me than for Matt!), the weddings of three different couples in our group of friends, various track meets, and my brother's college graduation in Auburn. We will also finish out the school year and *hopefully* be able to land full time positions. Below are a few pictures from the past month. We look forward to sharing our future happenings with all of you as well!

Bridesmaids at Whitney's lingerie shower

The girls in Athens, GA for Whitney and Laura's bachelorette weekend.

 At Six Flags in Atlanta, GA for Whitney and Laura's bachelorette weekend

Whitney's bridesmaid luncheon

Matt catching up on The Hunger Games craze.
I made him promise to read the book before going
with me to the movie premier!

 Sunday school hike during our trip to Gatlinburg in late February.
We had such a good time!

 Matt and I looking rough after our hike in the Smokies.

The waterfall at the end of our hike in Gatlinburg.

Our first Valentine's Day as a married couple! Our gifts to one another
are pictured above.

Resolutions for 2012

I know that January is typically the month that most people associate with making goals and New Year's resolutions, but I think it is never too late to begin thinking about ways to improve one's life throughout the remainder of the year. While I did not sit down and make a resolution in January, I have recently begun creating a list of goals (resolutions, bucket-list; whatever you want to call it) that I hope to accomplish in the coming year. While I usually do a great job when starting new things, my follow through is often less than stellar. Since I want to stick with many of my goals for 2012, I figured posting them would give me the accountability that I so often need. My husband is also helping me to work through the list, so I am hoping that his encouragement and participation will also serve as a motivator.


GOALS FOR 2012

1) Eat out less, and cook more: Anyone who knows me knows that the kitchen is probably my least favorite room in the apartment. I have never enjoyed cooking, and to be quite frank, I have never been very good at it either. Matt has always been the cook in our household, but as of late, cross country and track have been taking up large portions of his time. Most nights it has not been realistic for him to do the cooking, since he often gets home late. Before Christmas break, we solved our scheduling problems by grabbing dinner out several nights per week. After taking a close look at our finances, however, we realized that we could save A LOT of money by choosing to eat out only on the weekends. Money is pretty tight right now since we only have one income ( and let's be real, teachers don't bring in the big bucks), so it would be foolish of us to throw money away unnecessarily. Since Matt's schedule will not be changing any time soon, we have only one solution: Amber will have to cook. I started working towards this goal in earnest last week, and I am happy to report that each of my dinners was a raging success. I learned that if I did not get impatient and, tried my hardest to stick with the recipe, I would be rewarded with a quality meal. Now that I know that it is indeed possible for me to make dinner most nights, I am trying to figure out how to eliminate waste. Since I am only cooking for two, it is hard for us to eat everything before the food spoils, or we get sick of a particular dish. Keep your fingers crossed that I can continue to keep myself in the kitchen!

2) Get back into shape: Like many of you out there, I seriously hate to workout. I love participating in organized sports, but the thought of running around a track or working out in a gym is not a pleasant thought. After watching my weight creep up in the last year, however, I have come to the realization that it is necessary for me to establish a workout routine. While scouring the internet for a possible program, I ran across the Couch to 5K training program. Basically, the premise of the program is to ease a couch potato into running three miles. The program lasts for nine weeks, and only asks for 30 minutes of running, 3 times a week. The program also takes into account that many participants have not worked out in awhile, so it definitely starts with manageable workouts. Since I know that I have zero drive when it comes to getting into shape, I have asked Matt to do this program alongside of me. I am hoping that he will help me to follow it through to completion. If I can get to the point where I can run three miles, I am going to sign up for a 5K in Huntsville sometime in the spring. We are beginning the program today, so I will keep you posted!

3) Find more stable employment: Those of you who have kept up with this blog know our job predicament well. While Matt has been able to hold onto his job, I am yet to find one in this area. Since we are living on one income, and a relatively small one at that, I have continually been trying to find more stable employment. While subbing keeps me busy everyday, it only pays minimum wage. I would love to find a job that allows me to contribute more to our future plans of paying off my student loans and buying a house. As of now, it seems like it will be years before we can do either! Fortunately, this goal is on its way to being achieved. Beginning March 6th, I will be teaching eleventh grade at Sparkman High School in Madison. The only downside to this position is that it is only for the remainder of the school year, and I know for a fact that it will not carry over into the 2012-2013 school year. Despite the fact that it is temporary, I am hoping that filling this leave of absence will help me to get my foot in the door at Sparkman, or other surrounding schools. I know that a few schools in the area will have openings in the spring, so I am praying that Matt and I can both land full time jobs for the upcoming school year. We would appreciate your prayers as we continue to search for more permanent employment for the both of us.

4) Make more time for friends: Of all the goals that I have for 2012, this one will probably be the easiest for me to keep. I have always placed a lot of value on my friendships, so it is not a chore for me to try to sustain those relationships as everyone begins to move away from Tuscaloosa. As everyone gets busier, however, it is difficult, and often costly, to get together frequently. Another issue for me, has been trying to keep up with friends from different points of my life. I have friends from high school and college, as well as new friends in Huntsville. Since weekends are often busy with Matt's track meets, I often feel like I drop the ball on making time for those that I love the most. Thankfully, I have done better with this as of late. This weekend I was fortunate to be able to spend time with many of my college friends AND friends from Huntsville. Though I was exhausted at the end of the weekend, it was wonderful to be able to spend time with everyone, and to be there for a few friends who needed support and encouragement. This is one goal that is fun to keep, but still one that I will have to be intentional to achieve.

5) Give more to others: This one has been a tough one for me in the last six months. While in college, I felt that God literally dropped opportunities in my lap to serve my community, my country, and my world. Now that I am removed from my college church, I will have to be more intentional in seeking out more service opportunities. Our church in Huntsville is very missions focused, but I have been slow to get involved, since we are just getting to know people in our new church. When I think back to my time in Tuscaloosa, some of my favorite memories involve mission trips, community outreach, and the two months of daily tornado cleanup. I grew so much in my faith as a result of those opportunities to serve, and I want to continue to do so in Huntsville. Both Matt and I have been praying about ways to serve in our new city, and we are working on appropriating time and money so that we can continue to be the "doers of the faith" that we were in Tuscaloosa.

6) Travel more: Growing up, my family had the tendency to frequent the same vacation spots. For this reason, I never really had the opportunity to travel until I moved to Tuscaloosa. As I flew across the country for mission trips, or road-tripped with friends during spring break, I was bitten by the travel bug. I love seeing new places, and there are so many things in this world that I want to do and to see. Thankfully, I married a man with the same desire to travel,  and we are hoping to visit a few new places in the next year. As is the case with many of our dreams, finances are slowing us down just a bit. We do have one big trip on the calendar, however, and thankfully that trip will serve as a vacation and a visit with family. Since we are teachers, we both have summers open to go wherever we please. Our main focus is going to have to be planning fun excursions on a dime, but I think we can do it. I look forward to experiencing new places and spaces with my husband over the next few years.

7) Take more risks: I am a planner by nature, so I am often intimidated and fearful of major life changes or decisions. One thing that I regret about 2011, is that I allowed many opportunities to pass me by because I was afraid of the risks involved with making those choices. While I am a firm believer in thinking things through, I also believe that there is such a thing as over thinking. I can say with ease that I over think almost everything. In 2012, I want to take more risks, even if it means that those risks sometimes result in failure. if I fail, at least I have learned something, right?

8) Be more creative: Go ahead and laugh, this goal has, of course, come from my new obsession with Pinterest. All jokes aside, Pinterest has helped me to realize that I do have the ability to be thrifty and crafty; things that I never before thought that I could do. I am amazed at the things people can do with everyday objects, or the innovative ways that they have learned to save money. My goal is to make the most of the things that I do have, and potentially learn to stretch those things further or to make them more beautiful, useful, and purposeful. Craft away, my friends!

So, there you have it, my list of goals for 2012. I expect to add more as the year progresses, but for now, I think that eight is more than enough to get me started. I will keep you updated on my (our) progress as the weeks roll on!

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

As is usually the case, this post is coming a bit later than I had originally planned! While reading back over my last post, I realized how much time has passed, and how many things have changed since the last time I posted. I am going to *try* to catch everyone up on our life happenings, but my goal is to make this post as brief as possible. To put it simply, you guys will be getting the Cliffs Notes version of the past month and a half!

For starters, our job situation has been resolved!! Thanks to all of you who have prayed for and encouraged us over the last several months. I was offered a job at Eastwood Middle School in Tuscaloosa in mid-December, and since Matt and I had agreed to take the first offer that was presented, I verbally accepted. Three days before I was to be approved by the Tuscaloosa City School System, Matt received a call from Bob Jones with a job offer. Since our offers were in two different cities, we spent a lot of time weighing the pros and cons of each. After much discussion and prayer, we decided that it would be in our best interest for Matt to remain at Bob Jones. This was a difficult decision for us for many reasons. Matt and I both love Tuscaloosa, and no matter where we live in the future, a part of our hearts will always be in that city. Though the chance to return to Tuscaloosa was appealing, we are near family in Madison, and many of our college friends are finding jobs in this area as well. Since Matt has already spent a year and a half at Bob Jones, we also felt that his chance of retention might be higher than mine would be if teaching at a new school. Eastwood was very understanding when I called to back out of my position, but I still felt terrible (and a little sad!) about turning them down last minute. Though there are still many uncertainties about Matt's future at Bob Jones, we are so very thankful that we have been given the opportunity to stay in Madison for the time being.

Despite staying in Madison, Matt and I were forced to change apartments during the week of Christmas. As if that week is not hectic enough already, right?! After I had accepted the job offer in Tuscaloosa, we told our old complex that we would be vacating our unit. By the time we figured out that our plans had changed, Weston Ranch had promised our unit to another set of tenants. While finding an affordable apartment AND moving during the week of Christmas was incredibly stressful and crazy, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Matt and I were able to find a place that was within our budget that provided us with much more living and storage space. It has been wonderful to finally be able to spread out a bit! While we are still working to get everything unpacked and organized, below are a few pics of our living room:

 Our Christmas tree!!! One of the things that made me hate our job uncertainty, was the fact that I could not decorate for Christmas. Thankfully, our job situation was resolved just in time for me to get my tree up. Matt and I literally decorated on the 23rd! I know it looks a bit like a Charlie Brown tree, but I was so proud of it. I did not have time to buy any new ornaments, a topper, or a tree skirt, but given our situation, I think my tree turned out just fine :).

One of my favorite things about our new place (other than the additional bedroom, of course!), is that we have a mantel! If you sent us a Christmas card this holiday season, you should be able to find your smiling face in this picture. We eventually received so many cards, that some of them had to be displayed on the outer edge of our kitchen counter. No worries though, if you sent us a card, I made sure it was displayed somewhere in our new abode :). I was also REALLY excited to get to hang our new stockings. Matt and I get teased a lot about our Alabama football obsession, so it should come as no surprise that our stockings represent our love for our alma mater.

One of my favorite Christmas presents this year was a set of lamps from my grandparents. I am obsessed with the color blue, which is evidenced in many places throughout our apartment. I saw these lamps while visiting my friends Nick and Laura in Dothan, and absolutely had to have them. Thankfully, my family took the hint and gave them to me as a Christmas gift. Laura also ended up purchasing a set for her new house, but we figure that nobody will notice since we live six hours away from one another! 

Besides the craziness that centered around our job search, finding an apartment, and moving, Matt and I kept busy in the month of December with work (seasonal job for me), shopping, and Christmas parties. Below are a few snapshots from the last two months. 

 As an early Christmas present, my brother bought us Iron Bowl tickets! Since my brother is a student at Auburn, our seats were in the student section. Many people thought we were crazy for sitting there in our Alabama gear, but it was fun to sit amongst Auburn students while the Tide beat down the tigers in Jordan Hare. We greatly enjoyed spending time with my brother too. Roll Tide!

Normally I take dozens of pictures around the holidays, but this year I dropped the ball. The picture above is from my cousin's camera, and was taken at our annual Christmas gathering with my mom's side of the family. With the exception of one cousin, every member of the family was in attendance. One of the main reasons I love Christmas is because of all the gatherings with friends and family. While we were sad to be unable to make the trip to California to see Matt's family, we had a blast hanging out with friends and family in Alabama.

 Matt has had to find his inner handyman since our move. For almost a week straight, it seemed as if I always needed him to hang pictures on the walls, assemble furniture, or fix a temperamental appliance. Thankfully, he has learned quickly. What a great sport!

It takes a contortionist to get out from behind our dryer. Needless to say, Matt was not in the mood to pose for a picture after our gazillionth attempt to fix the dryer.

As I mentioned earlier, I unfortunately failed to capture many of our holiday outings on camera. In the month of December we also celebrated Christmas with my dad's side of the family and our Sunday school class. In the little bit of time we had between work, moving, and Christmas gatherings, we also attended Christmas at Calvary (in Tuscaloosa), and spent time with friends watching holiday movies and checking out all of the Christmas displays that Madison had to offer. We also brought in the new year with our Sunday school class. Not everyone made it until midnight, but considering that most everyone had been moving or traveling, I think we all did pretty well! Since we were moving, the holiday season was kind of a blur this year, but we did enjoy the little bit of it that we had time to celebrate.

Though the new year holds many uncertainties for us, both Matt and I are looking forward to the year ahead. Despite the ups, downs, and transitions that 2011 held, we are ultimately in the same place that we began. The more things change, the more they stay the same! We are so blessed to have a job, a place to live, and to be in a city near family and friends. Though the road to 2012 was often rocky, I could not be more thrilled with the place that we find ourselves in 2012. Here's to a great year (and hopefully more frequent blog posts!)

Roadtrips and Roundabouts

Have you ever been on a road and encountered a roundabout? For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a roundabout is essentially a form of road construction that somehow takes the driver off of his/her intended path. Roundabouts are typically not a huge inconvenience, usually taking the form of in-street landscaping or winding ramps to enter or exit the interstate, but they still tend to slightly alter one's journey to a given location. So why all of the talk about roadways? Honestly, it is because Matt and I are currently experiencing a slight detour of our own.

As I mentioned in last month's post, our job situation is more than a little rocky. When I blogged about our situation in October, I felt certain that our job uncertainties would be worked out by early to mid-November. Unfortunately, we know no more about where we will be after December, than we did in October. Since our lease at our current apartment ends in one month, the uncertainty is beginning to get a wee bit unnerving. Despite all of the frustrations regarding the job search, we are still trying to trust that God has a greater plan for the both of us. We are hoping that this situation, which seems like a huge deal now, will turn out to be just like those roundabouts that I mentioned earlier. What seems so scary today could potentially turn out to be just a little detour in the greater picture of our life together. I pray daily that God will help us to keep everything in perspective, as opposed to dwelling on our current misfortune and inconvenience. I would much rather take our problems over many others that I see in the lives of those around me.We are truly blessed.

Since Matt and I are desperate for work, we have decided that no location is off limits for a move. In the past month, Matt or I have interviewed in Decatur, Enterprise, and Tuscaloosa. Between traveling for interviews, and trips for various functions with friends and family, we have kept the roads hot! Our month of road tripping will continue as we visit family for Thanksgiving, explore other job opportunities, and take the trip down to Auburn for the Iron Bowl. While we have enjoyed the traveling, it will be nice when things finally calm down. Now that the holidays are upon us, however, I do not expect that things will slow down any time soon!

One upside to my out of town interviews this month, is that I have been able to catch up with many of my college friends. While in Enterprise, I crashed at the Casa de Hatcher in Dothan. Due to distance, I had not seen Nick and Laura Hatcher since my wedding. It was so great to be able to spend a few days hanging out and catching up with those two! If either of you guys are reading this, thanks for opening up your home to me for a few days! A week after my Enterprise interview, I took a quick trip to Tuscaloosa to interview for another position. Many of my college friends are still living in the city as they finish up master's programs, so it was great to be able to break bread with several of them while in town. Tuscaloosa is virtually my second home, so it is always a pleasure to return.

Though Matt and I have spent a lot of time focusing on job prospects, we have also had time to squeeze in a bit of fun as well. Below are pictures from a few of our activities during the past month:

 My best friend got married! I was so happy to stand beside her as her Matron of Honor as she made a lifelong commitment to Brent. Congratulations, sweet friend, Matt and I are so happy for the two of you!

Matt and I at Brent and Brittany's reception

The end of October brought forth Matt's first experience in pumpkin carving. We had a blast spending time with our wonderful Sunday school class and celebrating Halloween. For those of you who are wondering, our pumpkin had an Alabama football theme. I know, I know, shocking. Overall, Matt enjoyed his pumpkin time.

Both the girls and boys cross country teams at Bob Jones made it to the state meet! Though neither team ended the season with a championship, the girls did manage to hang on to third place. Thankfully, the weather was beautiful for the final meet, and despite the outcome, it was an enjoyable day for everyone. Check out Coach Staggs on the far left :). I am a very proud wife! Congratulations to both the boys and girls teams!

As a way to give back during the holidays, our Sunday school class decided to take part in Operation Christmas Child. Matt and I decided to fill a shoebox for a young boy, and we spent a lot of time in Target looking for gifts to brighten the Christmas of a child halfway around the world. Matt took the toy search very seriously, as you can see in the above photo. He was sad that we did not purchase the Captain America get-up, but he cheered up when I allowed him to pick out legos and a football to place in our box. 

Looking ahead, Matt and I have a lot to look forward to. Thanksgiving is this week, and though we are sad about missing out on the holiday with his family, we are very excited to spend the day with the Parker/Schlangen clan. The morning after Turkey Day, we will be heading to Auburn with my brother for the Iron Bowl. Ethan decided to buy us the tickets as early Christmas presents, and Matt and I are pumped about our first game in Jordan Hare. Hopefully Saturday's game will catapult Alabama to the national championship game. Either way, we are excited to visit yet another SEC stadium. ROLL TIDE and HAPPY THANKSGIVING from the Staggs!

My God is a God who provides

If this blog has taught me anything, it is that my follow through on new hobbies is very poor. I started this blog primarily for myself, as a way to chronicle the day to day at this stage of my life and marriage. I figured it would be fun to look back on as the months and years pass by. Though I never intended to post daily, I initially planned to update the blog weekly. I guess you all can see how well that has worked out, huh! So what has happened that has kept me from updating? Life. Just life. That one word basically sums it up. So much has changed, and stayed the same, over the course of the last month and a half that I hardly know where to begin.

The title of my blog this month is taken from the "Desert Song" by Hillsong United. This song has spoken to me on more than one occasion, and I feel that this lyric is especially fitting for our circumstances at this given time. I encourage those of you who are not familiar with the song to check it out, it has definitely served as an encouragement in my own life.

I feel as if Matt and I have spent the last month praising God for his provision, only to turn around and ask for him to show himself again and again in our circumstances. We have been blessed in more ways than I even know how to list, but we are continually learning what it means to completely rely on God to meet every need. While complete and total trust in God is something that all Christians strive for, for me, it has proven incredibly difficult when faced with the unknown. I have complete confidence that God will provide, but admittedly, I am a little afraid of the form that his provision could take.

For those of you who do not know, as of January 1st, Matt will be unemployed. This would not be very discouraging had I landed a teaching job in August, but a position has yet to present itself for me in this area. Since we have found out that Matt's job was in jeopardy, I have struggled to not become angry over the situation. Matt had been given every reason to believe that he would be returning in the Spring (and possibly for years to come), and we were so confident that he would return that I turned down a year-long employment offer further south. To further add insult to injury, Matt found out during a faculty meeting that he was unlikely to return. No one sat down with him in a meeting. No email was sent out to alert us of this change in the original plan. No explanation was provided as to why things had changed. In fact, had Matt not taken it upon himself to schedule a meeting with his boss, we would still not know that his job for the Spring had disappeared. While I understand that things often do not go according to planned, I am upset that we were not forewarned. We were completely blindsided. The situation was mishandled, which leaves us with very little time to pursue alternate employment. To say that I pray daily for God to put his hand over my mouth, is the understatement of the year. I get very upset when I feel like an injustice has been committed,  and this is definitely one situation where keeping my mouth shut will be to our advantage.

Though there is a small possibility that Matt could be retained, we are trying to live in preparation for the chance that he will not be returning. Both Matt and I are once again applying statewide, and even applying for jobs outside of the educational realm. Unfortunately, the chances of finding full-time employment in the middle of the school year is slim. At this point, we'll take whatever we can get. When I get angry about the situation, stressed out about finances, or frustrated about our lack of direction, I reflect on my favorite lyric from the "Desert Song". I pray daily that God will use our current situation to teach me patience and to rely on him completely. He has provided thus far, why should either of us begin doubting that he will now?

One of God's many provisions for us this month, has come in the form of reliable work for me. Though subbing does not pay well, I have been booked everyday for the last month and a half. I was even offered the opportunity to cover a month long leave of absence at a high school in the Madison County system. The teacher whose position I am filling has been wonderful. While she has given me her own lesson plans to use, she has given me complete freedom to use my own plans, ideas, or tests. It has been wonderful to feel productive and to actually be able to teach, as opposed to sitting at a desk and doling out worksheets. My leave of absence ends in mid-November, but like subbing, I hope that it could potentially open a door to long-term employment.

Despite the job setback, September and October have been fun months in the Staggs household. As I mentioned in my previous post, Matt and I had originally planned to make a few weekend trips to Tuscaloosa for Alabama home games. Once we learned that finances might soon become an issue, we scrapped the idea of frequent football trips. We had already purchased tickets to attend an away game with friends, so we decided that the trip to Oxford would be our only Alabama football experience of the season. Before we had a chance to be bummed over missing out on time with friends, tickets for two games came through. We were offered the chance to go to the Alabama/Arkansas game (for free, shout out to my awesome aunt and uncle), and we were later provided with extremely inexpensive tickets to return for homecoming versus Vanderbilt. Though the games were fun, the best part was the time that we were able to spend with friends on both trips. We consider our friends in Tuscaloosa to be family, and so any time that we are able to spend with them is wonderful. I have often struggled with homesickness (weird, since Tuscaloosa is not even my hometown), so to be able to return twice was a huge blessing. 

Laura and I at Alabama/Ole Miss

Fall has also brought about exciting events in the lives of our friends (which is also exciting news for us)! As I have mentioned previously, my best friend from high school is getting married THIS WEEKEND! I am so excited to celebrate with her as she begins the next chapter of her life with Brent. I have been looking forward to her big day for months, and I know that she is as shocked as I am that it is finally here. 

Speaking of weddings, two of our other close friends began their journey towards marriage yesterday. Whitney and James have been close friends of ours since we have been in Tuscaloosa, and we are beyond thrilled for them. Matt and I were fortunate enough to celebrate with them at their engagement party yesterday. Though the main purpose of the party was to celebrate their engagement, I think we were all just excited to have an excuse to get together! Since we all live in different cities now, we are not able to see one another as often as we would like. Every time i get the chance to spend time with these people, I hate to see our time together come to an end. How blessed we are to be surrounded by such a wonderful group of friends! I can assure you that I rarely take these lovely people for granted. God is so good, and I am so thankful for the group of people that he has placed in our lives.

With the bride and groom-to-be

My "unofficial" roommates from junior year.

While I am hoping to update this thing more regularly, I know my lack of commitment could get in the way of more frequent postings. Regardless of when I get around to updating this thing, stay tuned, who knows the direction that life will take for us in the coming months!

Just another old married couple...

I honestly did not intend to let this much time pass before posting again, but life for us has been fairly uneventful during the last month. We are officially an old married couple! Matt has settled into a routine with school, and seems to be having a pretty solid semester thus far. Cross country season is now officially underway, and since Matt is coaching, the majority of our Saturdays will be spent at meets. I am very thankful that I can tag along to most of these events, since we do not get to spend much time together during the week. So far I have enjoyed going to the races, though I am definitely missing Saturdays in Tuscaloosa. Fortunately, Matt and I are trying to find tickets for games that fall on days when he does not have a meet.

Things for me have changed very litte, and I still have more free time on my hands than I would prefer. Though a full-time job has yet to present itself, I have been getting a fair amount of substitute work in the Madison City and County systems. These jobs have been a Godsend, because they do not only get me out of the house, they also provide us with a little extra money to help us through the month. Though I could probably find a part-time job in retail or waitressing, everyone has encouraged me to stick with subbing. Since being in the schools regularly is the best way to get my foot in the door, subbing is truly my best option. The fact that the work is so sporadic is a bit frustrating, but I am praying for patience and for an opportunity to arise as a result of my time spent in area schools.

Matt and I are continually asked how we are enjoying married life. To give the short answer, it's great! I can't speak for other newly married couples, but Matt and I simply enjoy spending time together. We have had a lot of fun participating in various school functions and finding things to do in our new town. Matt has also been a huge help in household matters. I brag on him frequently, but he deserves it! He has been eager to help me with the cooking (okay, well, he pretty much does all of that!), the cleaning, and various other chores. The fact that he has such a servant's heart has definitely endeared him to me even further. We both have made a concerted effort to put the needs of the other before our own, and though we sometimes fail, I think it is a large part of the reason that things have been so smooth for us thus far.

We have also had many prayers answered over the course of the last month. As I mentioned earlier, my sub work is slowly picking up. This in and of itself is a HUGE answer to prayer. Though I still sit at home a few days each week, subbing has helped to break up the monotony in my day to day life. Being in the schools has also been a great way for me to network, and I am so thankful that so many teachers in  both systems are willing to go to bat for me. Another prayer that was answered this month, is that we seem to have found a church home in Huntsville! If you have read my other blogs, you know that leaving our church in Tuscaloosa was difficult for the both of us. We met virtually our entire group of friends at Calvary in Tuscaloosa, and it is also the place where we met and were married. Calvary was also the church where Matt came to Christ, as well as the place where we spent the vast majority of our time during our college years. There are so many incredible people in that church, and we were very cynical about finding a church in Huntsville that would even remotely compare. After visiting 6-7 churches in the Huntsville/Madison area, however, I think we have found a pretty good fit! The church that we have attended the last several weeks is HUGE (roughly 3,000 members), and initially we were very intimidated and turned off by the sheer size of the congregation. After attending a Sunday School class at the church, however, we realized that this is the place God intended for us to be. Of all the churches we have attended, Willowbrook is the only church that has a class for young married couples who are yet to have children. Though this may seem like a small thing to some, this was a huge thing for us. Since we left such an incredible group of friends in Tuscaloosa, we really wanted to find a Godly group of friends in Huntsville to essentially "do life" with. We quickly realized, after visiting a few churches, that we had a very tough time relating to young adults with children. Matt and I do not have to worry about potty training, babysitters, or feeding schedules at this point in our lives, and we had a hard time making conversation with those who do. For these individuals, their children pretty much dictated their schedules, as well as their conversation topics. The couples that we met with children were incredibly kind and welcoming, but Matt and I wanted to find a group of people who were in our stage of life. We wanted friends who could easily hangout on the weekends or who would understand the issues that sometimes arise in our new marriage. Fortunately for us, we found what we were looking for at Willowbrook. We love out Sunday school class and have enjoyed getting to know all of the couples, even though most of them are Auburn graduates! I do not want to give the impression that we chose a church based off of a group of people, because the group was only a small part of the reason that we have continued to return. Both Matt and I have been impressed with the overall vision of the church, as well as their commitment to missions and doctrinal teachings. It has been wonderful to finally find a place to plug in again!

The past two months have gone by so quickly, and before we know it, the holidays will be upon us. Matt and I do not have a lot planned for the next month or two, but we do have a few things to look forward to. As of now Matt and I are seriously considering making the trip to Tuscaloosa for the Vanderbilt game, and potentially others. Regardless of which games we make it to, it will be wonderful to be back in Bryant Denny and visiting with friends. In our attempt to visit every SEC stadium together, we are also planning to go to the Alabama/Ole Miss game. We are hoping that a few friends will join us on the day trip to Ole Miss in October. Matt has Fall break in less than a month, so he and I are considering taking a weekend trip (location yet to be determined) during his time off. We have a voucher for a free two night hotel stay, so we could probably take a trip at little cost to us. Matt has been trying to come up with fun things for us to do since I am homebound most days, and I love him for that. Wherever we go, it will be nice to get out of Huntsville for a few days. Another thing on the horizon is my dear friend Brittany's wedding! Brittany and I have been friends since we were toddlers, and she was one of the maids of honor in my wedding in July. I can't wait to stand beside her on her big day! I am definitely looking forward to the festivities surrounding her wedding. Below is a picture of us (and two other friends from high school) at her first shower.

Brittany will make a beautiful bride, and I cannot wait to celebrate her wedding on October 21st! Weddings are much more fun when you do not have to worry about the stress of planning!

Matt and I returned Monday from a trip to the mountains with my mom's side of the family. Most of my mom's extended family is from the Knoxville area, so we make the trip for family reunions each Labor Day weekend. It is always fun to stay with 15+ people in a cabin, and it is also great to spend time with family that we only get to see once a year.  My mamaw is one of ten siblings, so you can only imagine the number of people that show up each year! On the whole, it was a fun and relaxing weekend.

Hopefully the next time I update this thing an entire month will not have passed. Hope you all had a great Labor Day! Until next time....