Recovery in our little community

Last night brought us more storms, more tornadoes, and another death from the storms. This time it hit really close to home. Only a  few miles from where I live a tornado came through about 9:15 or so last night. Taking with it were homes and trees but also a very, very sweet lady.  Her name is JoAnne Bradley. Her son wasn't home and had called her and couldn't get her so he left work and went home and found her. According to this site it said she was thrown 50 yards away from her home.
I knew JoAnne from scrapbooking. Sounds odd to say it that way, but I used to work at The Scrapbook Attic in Batesville, just a few miles from home.  She and a friend came in to the store and I helped them pick out some things. After that we'd always talk and she was the friendliest person! She came to my very first class to support me when I first started selling Close To My Heart scrappin supplies.  She ALWAYS had a smile on her face! A great big pretty smile that let me know she was happy.  She always seemed happy! My heart breaks for her husband and her son. Her son is close to my son's age and they have a class together.  Hunter always talks about him and what a good kid he is.  He works at Sonic at town.  She was so proud of him for working and was always talking about how good he is. She must have been a fantastic momma to have such a good boy!
JoAnne showed me a picture of their dream home that her husband had built for her. I think he and JoAnne were the ones that actually built it too. She would tell me each time I would see her how it was coming along.  She invited me up to see it and her craft space but I never got up there... and it was just a few minutes away from me. I wish I had gone now.  That beautiful home was built on top of a hill. I can just imagine the view she had up there. The front had big glass windows...it was just gorgeous!! I'm afraid being on that hill was a bad thing.  As the crow flies, it was probably a straight shot from where the damage started to her house. The National Weather Service hasn't said if it was a tornado or not but my nephew was out with working with the fire department last night and he said the trees were just snapped off.  On the site I linked above the Sheriff said it was.  I would think we could hear it if it was that close, but I just don't know.  It just bothers me so bad to know that while I was sleeping, so relaxed here in my home, that one of my friends was going through something so bad.  I know there was nothing I could do even if I'd known what was going on, but things like that just bother me so badly! I just hurt for her and her family. I know this... we have NO cell phone service out here and hardly any internet reception-especially when it rains.  I think it is time those cell phone people think about upping our reception out here! She might have known what was coming if that was the case! I have to stop blaming and just pray because I know that placing blame won't bring her back.
She worked in town at Dollar General and seemed happy to be there! I don't think I ever heard her complain! I'll miss her smiling face when I go in there now.  I'm sure we all will!
I am just stunned because I don't think there was a tornado warning out for our area.  In fact I was asleep on the couch and woke up to hear the wind blowing hard and it was pouring down rain.  But I had looked at the radar earlier and it didn't show anything that looked too bad so I wasn't worried with what i heard.  The power started to flicker, but for our area that is definitely nothing new as it does it a lot. It finally went out and stayed out. Still I didn't worry.  Had I known there was a tornado only a few miles from my house ( and we live in a double wide mobile home) I would have been worried for sure! At least up and not snoozing on the couch. But we didn't hear anything roaring or nothing like that. I guess things happen for a reason and I just have to leave it at that.  Please keep JoAnne's family in your prayers... as well as the other storm victims from Arkansas and all across the areas that have been hit by these awful storms. There were also two people critically injured in the little town of Calamine, just a few miles up the road from me. We live in a little spot called Grange, about 8 miles northeast of Cave City. I haven't heard who they were or how the are this morning. The sad thing is, there is more coming today. I just pray the ones coming are not as strong as the one from Monday and Tuesday.  If anyone reading this out there is in the path of more storms, stay safe.
Have a good day!
Lisa