4.15.2012

We have had a pretty emotional week.  We have had crazy bad weather this week and several funnel clouds come across our house.  On Monday, April 9th ,we had a huge hail storm and a funnel cloud come over and it was the anniversary of the deadliest tornado that has ever hit Oklahoma and it hit Woodward on April 9, 1947.  Everyone was on pins and needles that day.........This date is on a lot of things in this town and no one will ever forget it.  It killed 107 people and wiped out most of the city. 

This is what came over our house around 5:00 Saturday afternoon.  It touched down about a mile south of us and only stayed on the ground a few seconds.  The only damage was a barn was wiped out an it had thrown an old oil tank about 800 yards.  It went back up before it reached us.

 This is what hit Woodward at 12:17 a.m on 4.15.2012............

The only thing standing in the above pic is part of a kitchen.  A refrigerator and part of an oven and a shelf.  In between the shelf is sitting a coffee pot, untouched, no damage just sitting nicely in between those shelves....... 

The whole path of the tornado looks like this..........

 It was about an 8 mile stretch through Woodward.

There used to be a 3 story house beside this one....................

We were under a High Threat all day so we hunkered down at the lodge and put Jones to bed in the basement while we watched the weather all night..........The tornado sirens weren't working because they had been hit by lightning during the storm that had hit earlier that day.  Weatherman had warned everyone of this at the 10:00 news and warned everyone that there was one more line of storms coming through about 11:15 and that we should be in the clear.  That they probably wouldn't get severe until after they passed us.  Most of Woodward went to bed.........The storms slowed way down after they formed and didn't get to us till about 12:00.  When the weatherman first spotted the tornado he was telling everyone again that the sirens in Woodward weren't working and to text or call everyone we knew to wake them up and tell them to take shelter immediately.  Cody and I started texting everyone we knew.........The only thing we knew was it was 12:12, it was headed towards the West side of town and that it would probably be in Woodward by 12:23 by the weatherman time.  It hit Woodward at 12:17...........

There were only 6 deaths and many many stories of people being thrown from there house.  Being sucked out of bed or trying to run to a storm shelter and not making it and ending up on the other side of the road.  Only 6 deaths...........We have an amazing God!  His hands were wrapped around Woodward that night.

This has been an emotionally draining week for everyone in Woodward.  Government has denied Woodward of any help..............but this town has come together and has done an amazing Job.  Cody worked Sunday-Wednesday helping with debri pick up.  He has come home physically and mentally drained, has seen and heard some amazing stories of survival and gets up and does it again the next day.  We had some friends who lost everything......I can't look at her or talk to her or even talk about her and her family without crying............I just want to hug her up and her 8 month old son that was in her arms when the tornado ripped their house apart..........................

This has been a hard week on us, very emotional week and we still have our house......it didn't even come close to our house......we have our things......our stuff........each other.......I can only imagine what these people are going through who lost everything................and family................

Godspeed Little Man

If you were to ask me, 2 years ago or even 1 year ago, if I would be nursing my 1 yr old much less my 16 month old I would have laughed in your face.  I knew I wanted to nurse my baby and thought 6 months was a logical number.  6 months rolled around and the thought of giving my baby formula made me sick to my stomach.  Ok, So I can go 12 months. Cody and I attended a breastfeeding class before Jones was born and I think it scarred me for life...in a good way?

When the year mark came and I could give Jones whole milk he didn't care for it.  I continued nursing.  13 months rolled around and wow, still doing it.  14 months rolled around, somehow managed to talk him into taking cow's milk and weaned him down to 2 nursing sessions.  Score!  14 months rolled around, he got sick and turned into a newborn and wanting it all day long.  Back to square 1!  Started all over and at 15 months got him back down to only nursing at night before bedtime.

Last Sunday I thought I would try to put him down without nursing, just to "see" if he would.  I never imagined he would........he did........I am so sad but so happy at the same time.  I enjoyed our nursing relationship and know it was the best thing for him.  It was time to quit.......It's what society wanted me to do anyways............

It's good to see you venturing out more and more everyday by yourself.  Getting more independent and relying on me less and less.  You always turn around to make sure I'm there and I always am.  Anytime you need me......I will be.

Godspeed, little man
Sweet dreams, little man
O' my love will fly to you each night on angels wings
Godspeed
Godspeed
Godspeed
Sweet dreams

A year of Perfection?

Maybe?

May will be 3 years since we moved to NW Oklahoma.  In those 3 years we have experienced the hottest year, the coldest year, the dryest year and the wettest.  What will this year be?  So far greatness!  Usually Jan-March Cody is breaking ice every morning and freezing his tail off feeding all the animals and we are usually stuck inside trying to stay warm.  This year so far we have had a moist year, not overly wet and pretty pretty days.  We have been able to get out on the ranch and enjoy it.  Tag along with Cody on some days and explore with our little guy in tow.  Maybe, just maybe  this year will be just right!

 Who needs a sand box when you can empty a HUGE sack of corn out in one place!  Feed deer in front of game camera, CHECK.  Let Jones have a little fun, CHECK!

 We have had a lot of hunters so far hunting out of deer blinds and we have gone several times to help Cody put them out and move them around to different spots.  This gives Jones the time to run around outside and to avoid stickers!  Our yard is infested with stickers! Way to many stickers to get outside and play in the yard:(

Blogger is having issues tonight and turning pics sideways and not downloading the right pics I want:(  I have about 4 more pics but they won't download right...BOO! 

We have been able to take a lot of wagon rides down the road and walk the dogs!  It's a win win!

Boo Boo's and fat lips O' My

We experienced our first battle wound around Christmas. J was playing and running around and fell and after his bottom touched the ground he just toppled over and his forehead hit the corner of a baseboard.  I'm not the mom that runs full throttle to her child every time he falls.  I make sure he is ok and then let him work it out.  We were at Papa J and Grammy's house when this happened and Grammy was the first to him and he was crying pretty good this time.  I hurried over and saw so much blood and my heart just fell to the floor.  Luckily my step sister is a nurse and reassured me that a trip to the ER would be unnecessary.  We got the blood stopped and he had a huge gash in his head for awhile.  He will probably have a scar:( He is a tough guy! 

Today he got in a fight with our kitchen floor.......the floor won:(  He bit through his bottom lip and bit his top lip pretty good.  I calmed him down, gave him some Tylenol and layed him down for a nap.  He was exhausted after that fight:)  When he woke up he had a little bloody nose.

Here's to many more little boy boo boo's and fat lips!