Crazy Mid-West Weather

Well, the old saying goes: "If you don't like Ohio's weather, stick around for a few minutes, it's bound to change." And southwest Ohio is also known for being part of Tornado Alley because we get some crazy, CRAZY storms . . . and yesterday, our area was hit with torrential, horizontal rains, hail and terrible flooding. Everything BUT a tornado ~ although funnel clouds were spotted. 

Our whole county was hit particularly hard by the flooding and we are praising the Lord that our home was spared the worst of it all, however, beginning just less than a mile from our home, things started to get really bad. 

Our DD#2 works in a neighboring town and since we share the truck, I needed to pick her up when she called saying that water was coming into a side door at the library and the basement (where all the media, historic documents, antique books and some computers are) was being flooded! 

The worst of the storm seemed to be over at our house and so, with hail still laying all over the roads, I started out to get her, a mere 8 miles away. Only a mile from our home, the flooding began. The ditches were torrents of deep, running water, yards were flooded up to and past the homes and barns . . . 

This shot was taken at my 2nd pass of this property ~ the 1st time I went through, the hill on the left was a massive waterfall that ran down into the horses' paddock, flooding the area and inside the barn. The poor horses had to SWIM until the rain stopped and the waterfall went away and left some soggy land for them to get onto. 

Just past that was where some real trouble began . . . a business's WHOLE parking lot had turned into a raging river ~ probably 50' wide, and NO ONE was going to go through that. At this point, everyone turned around and I tried to find another way to my daughter.

I drove for over 2 hours trying to find a way, but every road had flooded areas. I shouldn't have, but being as I drive a big ol' truck, I went through some fast-flowing flooded roads until I was simply too afraid to go into some really deep, really fast waters and had to TRY to find another road. Along the way, I saw this sweet little, brand new mule foal and his family trying to find some high ground. 

Every where I went, I met with flooded roads and could not get to my daughter. Just as I was considering getting onto the highway and going all the way into a neighboring town to come in another way, I drove up to the on-ramp and there were cars using it to get OFF of the highway because IT was flooded as well! 

 Photo credit: Dayton Daily News

As this point, I called my daughter and asked if she could contact some friends who live close to the library and see if she could spend the night at their home. What a blessing they are ~ the whole historic downtown was flooded and so was our friends' street, but they braved the waters, DD#2 waded out to their car and they, even though their power was out most of the night, took her in. Praise God for wonderful friends. This was their road . . .  

 Photo credit: Katie Worthen

And as it seems to be after so many storms ~ today is such a lovely sun-shiney day. God IS so good.

Your prayers are appreciated for all those who have lost so much and are cleaning up today. Thank you.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><