BREAKING NEWS!!!! I'M BACK!!!!

Good Mornin' Yall,

I hope that everyone had a great week last week and ready to start a new day and week. It is currently 35 degrees with a windchill of 31 degrees. The winds are out of the West at 5 mph. Yesterday was a beautiful day here. The Sun was shinging and it got up to 61 degrees. The wind was blowing a bit which made it just a tad bit on the chilly side, but other than that, it was a beautiful day to be outside. Today the high is only suppose to be 45 degrees.

As most of you know, I haven't posted since late Tuesday night. My DH finally made it home Wednesday morning around 4:15a.m. I had been up all night waiting on him. After he got in, he was tired, so he went on to bed. I stayed up and got the girls off to School and then I came back home and went back to bed. I have since been on my DH's schedule of being up nights and sleeping during the day. I also felt the need to be with my DH during this time. When he got home Wednesday morning he told me that they had received a message across their Qual-Com to not to drop any trailers there in Memphis that night and to call their Driver Manager sometime Wednesday before coming over there. Normally, they would be leaving out around noon on Wednesday going to Memphis to pick up their load to go up North. I had set my alarm to go off at 11:30a.m. so I could get my DH up. I was coming into the kitchen to start some coffee and there was a knock at our front door. It was my DH's Uncle. I got my DH up and his Uncle told him that their Driver Manager had called him and said that all loads had been cancelled. That meant their load which they were to pick up that day had been cancelled as well. This was all due to the Tornado that hit over in Memphis on Tuesday night. The place where my DH and his Uncle pick up wasn't damaged, but it was right there close to the DSC Logistics Warehouse that got hit hard in the Tornado. They were without power and power lines were down all over. Their Driver Manager did tell them that their regular run to Salt Lake City would still be a go. So, that meant that my DH was off till this morning. He had to leave out at 5:00a.m. going to Salt Lake City. They didn't get paid for being home, but we are still doing okay financially wise. Things will just be a little tight till he gets paid later this week, but GOD has been providing and he will continue to provide for us. Also, since they wasn't able to go to Memphis to scan their bills, my DH went down to West Memphis, AR, to scan their bills at one of the Pilot Truck Stop's down there. He did that on Wednesday afternoon. Then on Friday afternoon, my DH called their Driver Manager to see if the Salt Lake City load was ready and he told him it would be ready by the time he got over there. Well, it wasn't and he had to wait on it. He finally got home around 6:15p.m. Friday evening. My DH and his Uncle had flipped a coin the other day because when they get back home from up North, they are going to take turns going to Memphis to get this load so they won't have to leave out until 5:00a.m. on Sunday mornings. My DH lost, so this was his Friday to go pick up the load. This coming Friday will be his Uncle's turn to go pick up the load. They decided to do this so each one can have a longer weekend at home. I have really enjoyed his being home this past week and spending time with him.

Thursday afternoon I was wanting some of his Grilled Cheeseburgers and Hot Dogs. We went to the store and got all the fixings for them and he cooked out on the grill for us. Oh my gosh, they were so good. There was plenty left, so we had leftovers on Friday night as well. Thursday evening we were watching our local news. They were telling about a Pack a Pickup Event to be held in Jonesboro on Friday. This event was going to be for people to bring supplies out there to be taken to the Tornado hit areas here in Region 8. I had been watching the news all week and seeing all of the devastation, and when they told about this event, I just broke down and started crying. I told my DH and girls that I wanted to help out as well. I said we may not be able to buy much, but every little bit will help out. So, we all went up to our local Dollar General Store and bought some supplies to be taken out to Jonesboro on Friday. Our girls brought home a note Friday afternoon from School saying they would be taking up donations and supplies this coming Monday and Tuesday for the Tornado vicitims. Since my DH didn't get home before 6:00p.m., I decided to just wait and take the supplies to the School on Monday. Yall, it felt so good to be able to buy a few things to those who need it. I also told the girls one of the reasons I was doing this was because we never know when we are going to be in a situation like that. I am just "THANKFUL" that GOD has blessed my DH with a good job this year and we were able to help out in some way. Like I said, it may not be much, and I do wish I could do more, but I know the things we did buy will come in very handy and be greatly appreciated. The event was going on from 6:00a.m. Friday morning to 6:00p.m. Friday evening. We watched the news on Friday evening and they said that around 10:45a.m. that there had been 20 trucks, which was loaned from several Car Dealerships in Jonesboro, had pulled out taking supplies to the affected areas. Then came a Semi and they loaded that with supplies and then there came another Semi. They loaded it also. When they were going off the air around 6:30p.m. Friday evening, they were working on a 3rd Semi to be filled. Also, one of the Schools around Jonesboro, had raised over $1,000 on Friday to be given as well. Also, where they were taking the donations and supplies at there in Jonesboro, they had received over $20,000 in Monetary donations to be taken to the affected areas as well. I tell yall, when I saw that, it just touched my heart so good and I got a big lump in my throat. You could even tell in the Reporters and other people working with this event, that it had touched them as well. Region 8 is a great place to live and I'm so glad I am a part of Region 8. Saturday we didn't do alot. We slept late and our youngest daughter had a friend to stay all night with her on Friday night. Since we had eaten all of the Cheeseburgers and Hot Dogs on Friday night, I was wanting some more. So, our oldest daughter went over to the store and got the fixings to make them again. So, my DH cooked out on the grill for us again yesterday. His Cheeseburgers and Hot Dogs are so very good. He said he loves to cook out on the grill and I said I'm glad you did because that meant I didn't have to cook. LOL. There is still some left and me and the girls will be eating on that today. It's going to be hard on me since my DH has been home so much, but if everything goes alright, he will be home again early Wednesday morning. When he gets to come home thru the week like that, it makes the week go by shorter. He said it does for him as well.

Our local weather man was doing the weather on Friday evening and said the NWS had said that the Tornadoes that came thru Arkansas on Tuesday night was rated an EF4. That was a pretty bad Tornado. Also, yesterday on their website, http://www.kait8.com/, they said that the Tornado was a 123-Mile Path and it was the longest since 1950. If you want to click on the above website to view some more information about it, please feel free to do so. I'm sorry I keep telling about these Tornadoes, but that is some very big news for here in Arkansas and also, it's close to home if you know what I mean. So, I ask that yall still remember those who were affected by the Tornadoes and remember them as the clean-up continues and the re-building starts as well. They have alot of hard work ahead of them in the coming weeks.

Well, I guess that about gets me caught up with what has been going on around here. I did visit some while my DH was home, but just didn't post any. I would just visit in our between times together. Hopefully I will be able to get back to my normal routine since he has left. It may take me a day or 2, but I will get back in the swing of things. I do appreciate all the comments and emails that was left for me while I was on my hiatus. Sometimes I think it does a person good to be away for a while. Yall take care my friends and have a Blessed Sunday. May God Bless Each and Everyone of You. I think I will go do some more visiting now. I have coffee made, so if you stop by, grab yourself a cup and I'll be back shortly.

LOVE & HUGS,