A Salute . . .

. . . to my son, the Agent!

It's been a long, tiring 2 weeks since the tornadoes tore through Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and other southern states, leaving a path of great destruction ~ leaving lives forever changed ~ leaving families without homes and belongings ~ and, more importantly, leaving some families with hearts torn wide open from the loss of loved ones. Our prayers have gone out to these families . . . no one can imagine how they are feeling, how they are coping, how they are going on with day to day life.

On the acre we only received rain . . .

lots and lots of rain!

The tornado tore through the home town of the "A" girls but, thankfully, no one was killed and their home didn't receive any damage . . . although the tornado bounced around and skipped right over their old neighborhood before completely demolishing another neighborhood close by.

That same tornado crossed the mountains into Big Unc's hometown but, again, thankfully, he received no damage.

The Tennessee area where my baby is a State Farm agent didn't see a tornado but did receive severe hail and wind damage ~ even breaking a window in his office. Compared to the rest of the towns touched by the tornadoes, his hometown was lucky . . . and, even though his customers know they are lucky, they still have windows broken out of their homes and cars, roofs blown off or holes through them from trees, and many other problems . . . but there were no deaths, no families with gaping holes in their hearts.

Still there were voice mails to be answered, claims to be filed and long hours spent at the office with the broken window. As of yesterday, the agent and his 2 employees had handled 830 + claims ~ to his mama, that's alot of heartache to deal with, tempers to sooth, paper work, phone calls and days without lunch or dinner . . . and the work isn't over!

How you have survived so far I'm sure is by the grace of our God and the prayers of your mama on your behalf. I just want you to know how very proud I am of you and the work you do ~ how you handle such despair is beyond me . . . especially with no sleep and trying to coach softball, chauffeur basketball players to practice, and play on your church league softball team.

Knowing you, your patience grew a little thin; but, also knowing you, your heart feels what these people are going through and your need to put things straight and make things right kicked in and you've handled yourself as the professional young man you are.

Congratulations on a good well done under such trying circumstances.

I love you all the muches,

Mama