The last few weekends of January usually means...DADDY hunting!!
January 16-20 (MLK) we had a visit from Papaw Roy...
A train ride and ringing of the bell are always the first things we do!!
We LOVE the Flamingo's, but....
this was our first experience feeding them!!
Walker saying, "Here you go FLA-Ding-O!"
Walker threw food at them like the ducks at the duck pond.
We go to the Zoo all the time, but today was different.
The animals were out and so active!!
I think Papaw Roy enjoyed the zoo just as much as we did!!
Jerri stopped by for 2 nights on her move to Jackson, MS.
The boys enjoyed sitting on her motorcycle.
Vroom... room!!!!
Honk honk, BEEP, beep!!!
I know the neighbors thought we were crazy!!
~The weekend of Jan. 25-26~
I had the boys "all to myself." John Tanner wanted to go by sunglasses. We headed out to Target Saturday morning for sunglasses, then to the Y for mommy yoga:)!!
They had 5 pair, so this is what we eneded up with.....we couldn't leave without our SuNgLaSSes!!!!
I had to teach on Sunday morning so they tagged along with me...
I love having them with me!!!
Winter Storm 2014
Mom came Monday night, so I could go to my doctor's appoinment on Tuesday, January 28th. Side note...she was coming anyway because I was suppose to go to Nashville for VBS training on Thursday.
I left early Tuesday morning for my appoinment down 280 on 119 with a "light dusting" of snow. The doctors office called me once I pulled in and asked if I was there. Once I got to the office they said she had to leave because school was cancelled. I was kind of glad because I knew I needed to get back HOME.
I decided to fill out paper work since I was already there, plus it's all on a computer. They were very apologic, but I was READY to leave so I could get back down 280 and get HOME!!!! It took me 2 hours to go 1/2 a mile. I pulled into the side lane and made it to a Hamburger Heaven. When I first got there I saw a friends husband that was about to leave and head to Vestavia. Tanner didn't want me to drive because I was in his car with BAD tires. I thought about catching a ride with him, but decided to stay and text Kim later regarding this crazy 280 traffic jam. Traffic jam it was!!!!!
I had a few people around me talking about the road conditions. We watched a Coca Cola truck for 3 hours and in those 3 hours it only went a few feet. The owner of the store was there and he was super nice. He was giving out ice cream and all the coffee you could drink:)!! My phone died and I asked the owner if he had a charger. We started talking and I found out he lives in Homewood. I knew things had gotten ugly when he asked me... "where are you planning to stay tonight because it didn't look like anyone is driving down 280?" My first response was, "oh a hotel...a mini vacation:)" I thought my mom and Tanner are home with the boys, this won't be too bad.
It was around 3:00 and I knew it was getting close to dark. Several of my friends I met were walking back to their office and spending the night there. My friends husband that left at noon had made it a few miles down 280. I knew I needed gas, so I got in the frozen car and decided to drive.
The roads were frozen ice, ice, ice, ice!!! I went to the gas station right next door and they were sold out of gas and shut down. I went a few blocks to a BP and filled up the car. I had to cross over 280 to a Hampton Inn and there were 50 people on a waiting list. People were everywhere hanging out in the lobby etc. I saw Oak Mtn MOTEL..ugh... but pulled in...NO ROOMS!! Those were my ONLY choices because you couldn't get over the mountain either way to get to the other hotels.
What to do? The man at Oak Mtn Lodge said the Church of Brook Hills were letting people stay there. I headed back that way because I had seen the church across the street from the doctors office. I had to travel one block, but it was SUPER sketchy driving. Cars were parked on the side of the road, people were out of their cars trying to push cars, people were driving down the wrong side of street, people walking EVERYWHERE. I saw a young girl walking alone and ask her is she was ok.
Once I reaced 119 I found the church, but I couldn't make it up the hill. I saw a sign for Leeds and got this BrIgHt idea that maybe...just maybe.... I could drive that way and get home!!!??? After talking with a friend from Leeds, she advised me NOT to drive that way...it was a disaster area too!! I stopped at the Shell station to get directions to the back side of the church. I got food and drinks just in case... just in case what? I had to spend the night in my car??? I realized I could spend the night at the gas station because there was gas there or Wal-Mart or maybe the nice guy at Hamburger Heaven was still there!! I found another entrance to the church and signed in.
~~~
It was a very humbling experience because they ordered us BBQ and served us. I've never been on the "other" side of the line, I've always been the one serving others. They got us tootbrushes and divided us up into rooms for sleeping. Mom and babies (6 babies), ladies, families, men and a common area where they had the computer screen running the news. Tanner text me and reminded me he had a sleeping bag and blow up pad in his trunk. This was the best news I got ALL day!! I ran out and got my gear and claimed my "spot" along the wall....lovely....BUT I had a warm, safe spot to sleep..NOT in my CAR like so many people!!
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I had to smile because the days of traveling in Europe prepared me for this in some weird way. Several times the trains would go on strike and they would kick us off and we would have to spend the night in the train station with "real homeless people." We would sleep with our purse in our clothes. That night I tucked my money under my matt...just in case??!!
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My phone died about 9:30 so I went to sleep and slept ok until 3:30...then 6AM. Tanner decided to come get me around noon. We got back home around 4pm. I was SO SO happy to be home.
I can't help but think about all the abandoned cars along 280 and neighborhoods of Mountain Brook. Cars in ditches, wrecked, 3 cars deep on side of road in the longest NEVER ending line....the feeling of NO WHERE to go, surrender and walk!! I made the most of my quiet time. I spent the night with 80 strangers. I was in God's hands, good hands....safe, warm, and thankful for the people of Brook Hills for reaching out!!
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