No one expects a storm to devastate their home or property.  Texas weather is never predictable for residents who have become accustomed to flooding the past few years.  From floods to ice storms and even tornados- we all pray that our home will be saved but aren’t always so lucky.

Last year I wrote a blog regarding a weekend trip with family friend Tammi Leggett to her lake home on Whitney.  She has kept her boat at the marina since her parents passed away and she inherited the unique home situated in a cove.  

A few days ago, Tammi sent a text regarding the tornado and possible damage to her boat and home.  Since I was traveling to Hillsboro to discuss a wedding this summer with a client who wants to incorporate the Lasso & Coin Ceremony, I offered to drive from Hillsboro to Lake Whitney and check on her home and boat.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Lasso & Coin Ceremony, I’m including a few links to familiarize you and by the way, I love creative input from clients-How To Customize Your Ceremony To Include The Lasso & Coin Ceremony.  For many of our bilingual or blended religion clients, another list of wedding traditions can be found here-Hispanic Wedding Tradition Ideas.  After meeting with the client, I headed to Whitney where I saw families already cutting and burning limbs and damaged wood from their homes.  One family had carved a unique cross into a fallen tree. 

 By the time I finally made it to the marina, I knew that Tammi’s boats (along with many others) was damaged beyond repair. 

    
 I sent Tammi a few photos to give her a better idea of the damage and headed to her home.  Driving there, the destruction was everywhere I looked. 

    
   
Tornados strike fear in the hearts of anyone who has survived one.  Years ago, I found myself in the middle of one and although everyone in Fort Worth heard the sirens, no one really paid attention to them.  The destruction and damage from a tornado is shocking and surprising.

Luckily, other than a fence blown down from the storm, Tammi’s house was unharmed and we can look forward to another visit to Lake Whitney this summer.  I wrote a blog regarding being pulled into the marina last year and after seeing it yesterday, still can’t believe it was the same boat dock-Family Fun For The Texas Twins Events Team At Lake Whitney.

My husband is far less afraid of a tornado than he is an earthquake which I find surprising.  Our honeymoon was in Acapulco at Las Brisas and while there, an earthquake woke him up.  It never bothered me because I’m from California and familiar with not only quakes but aftershocks as well but what I didn’t know about was the undertow earthquakes create. 

My “Usually Serious” Husband and I At Our Wedding

 
After nearly drowning in the undertow, I have learned that the ocean (although I’ve never been afraid of it) doesn’t always “spit you back.”  The one thing I will always remember is the look on my husbands face as he watched helplessly from the rocks as I bobbed up and down and told him “I was okay.”  Truthfully, I wasn’t and I knew it but didn’t want him to drown trying to save me.  By the grace of God, a Navy Seal saw what was happening and dove into the churning ocean and threw me up on the rocks where my husband grabbed me and pulled me to the shore.  Until you’ve experienced something shocking on a holiday- you don’t realize how happy you are to be home again. 

Matthew Wortham Has A Surprising Sense Of Dry Humor And Keeps Me Laughing In Florida For Our Anniversary

  

On Location- My Husband Helps Me With An Arbor For My Niece, Leigh Ann’s Wedding


There are things in life that you never forget and a tornado is one of them for me.  The earthquake in Acapulco will be the one my husband never forgets but Lake Whitney (like Fort Worth) will rebuild and overcome.

As Cindy and I try to find a home for my son and his wife in the next two weeks, Alex Blais left this morning to return home to Lemoore, CA.  Moving is something Cindy and I hate to do but have by planning and preparation.  Apparently, my son and his wife aren’t fully packed and haven’t found a home they can agree on so I can expect some drama at HafeleHouse.

Alex and Leigh Ann will be moving too.  The Navy will be restationing Alex somewhere in the US and the stress of moving is weighing heavily on my niece who is currently living with Cindy at her home.

Having Cindy’s youngest grandchild, Madyson at home has been a true joy for my family and I’m certain seeing Leigh Ann leave with Madyson will be hard for Cindy but we are continuing to focus on our weight loss journey as a TwinTeam and hitting the gym 3 to 4 times a week.
As usual, my twin sister keeps me laughing regarding “five females fighting” at her home over the bathroom, the kitchen, the washer and everything else but “she’s getting some of her best material” for #Cindyisms from all the chaos!  We don’t always get along but we try-My Multigenerational Family Occasionally Argue Too.

Leave it to my twin to be looking at her cup as half full rather than half empty…

Wendy Wortham