after the storm

while in alabama last week, we made our first stop in tuscaloosa. we realized on this trip that we both love tuscaloosa for different, but equally good, reasons. i love tuscaloosa because of all of the memories of going to school & living there for six years, as well as the friendships made all along the way. lee loves it because of the friendships we made during our first year of marriage there. so not only do we visit campus when we are in town, but we also often drive out to our first apartment. not that we can go inside, but it is still fun to think back to everything that happened that first year and has happened since.

on this particular trip however, we had our nostalgic moments but shared more moments of shock and awe as we drove through the storm-ravaged city that we hold dear. for the first time, we got to see the devastation in person from the tornado that passed through one month ago. i could not even remember some of the businesses that used to be along 15th street because there was nothing left of where they once stood. so many houses were destroyed. so many lives have been changed forever in that city and state. i pray our little package helped a few people. the city has so far to go to recover. i hope we can continue to help in some way.

one last positive note...we did conclude the day in tuscaloosa with lunch at city cafe and a long afternoon visit with our dear friends, adam and coriell, as well as their two cuties. such awesome, awesome friends.