Years ago, here in the Ohio Valley, we didn't pay much attention to tornado watches. 1974 changed all that. My and Phillips’ 13th anniversary was on April 2nd. I had just mentioned to him that our 13th anniversary was going to be a bad year. April 3rd was a nice day. Early afternoon, we started hearing about tornado watches. We didn’t pay too much attention. Those watches became warnings. Things got worse. Finally, we thought there was a good chance we would have one. We talked with a couple of neighbors. The Jones and Picketts. We and the Jones' decided to ride it out in our houses. The Pickett’s said they were leaving and going to the school. 

Phillip and I stood in the front door, and the kids got in a closet. We watched out the door till we saw shingles blowing off our neighbors’ roof. I told Phillip it was time to get in the closet. A couple of minutes after we got in the closet, the kids yelled that their door wouldn't stay shut, so we ran to their closet. By then, it was over. The living room and kitchen were gone. The bedrooms where we were still there, but the whole house had been raised off its foundation. We went outside. The house across the street was completely gone. Not one board left. If they had stayed there, they would probably have been killed. We and our neighbors were fine. 

Now you say, “ What do we do now?” John and Lois Wood came by and asked us what we were going to do. We didn't know. They told us we could stay at their house that night and sleep in the basement. They thought the kids might feel safe in a basement. The next day, we were standing on our front step when this couple walked up and asked us what we were going to do. They said we were leaving town and didn’t feel right leaving a house empty when so many people needed a place. So we went to their house and spent the week. We had the house to ourselves. We didn't even know them. 

A week later, they came home and told us if we wanted to stay, we could. We had arranged to have a trailer parked on our driveway while we rebuilt. We talked about it and didn't really know what else to do. So we stayed with the Taylors for six weeks until our trailer was ready. When we left, Cliff said, “Why don't you all just stay? We can build a couple of rooms on the back and make this a permanent arrangement.” We had a wonderful time staying with them. I know in my heart the Lord was guiding us through all that. It was a very hard time, but with the help of the Lord and some very fine people, we made it through. I am forever thankful!