I am sure you have all heard and/or been affected by the recent tornadoes. Especially the big daddy one in Joplin. We have cousins there. Jimmer and Shane. And their families. If you have ever read my testimony on my wendyhagen.net website then you read about cousin Shane. He was instrumental in leading me to faith in Jesus. Shane and Linn lost just about everything -- house, clothes, cars, stuff, shoes, checkbook, unpaired socks (cuz I think we all average about 15 of those, right?), photos, two computers . . .
Here is the amazing thing - no one was hurt.
The sirens went off. They thought no big deal. But Shane stepped outside and heard thunder like he had never heard before. Then turned on the weather station. Grabbed nothing and headed for their closets. This all happened in two minutes.
Shane and Linn huddled down in one closet and his daughter, son and his friend huddled in another while the house basically caved in on them. Oh the terror. I cannot believe they survived this when their house looks like this. Thank you God!
And this is his car. It used to be a red ferrari :)
Tornado lasted for about 4 or 5 minutes. Shane and Linn were stuck and it was silent. Did not hear their children for about 4 minutes. Shane said it was the worst feeling of his life. All he could think was I sent them to the wrong closet. They should have been in this one. Finally he heard voices. Relief. Lexi pushed her way out of the closet and screamed for help. The neighbor came and got Shane and Linn out. Shane and Linn were only stuck for about 15 minutes. Then they helped other neighbors.
Thankfully, Jimmer's house was not affected by the tornado and he was able to come get Shane and his family and take them to his house. Total blessing. They have a place to stay and it is with family. They have electricity and access to stores, but where do they begin to pick up the pieces of this mess?
Shane and Linn own a happening hair salon in Joplin called The White Rhino. You can even like it on Facebook. Shane is an incredible stylist. He did my hair for my wedding and his wife did my makeup!
Shane is already back to work because he cannot afford not to be. Meanwhile, he is trying to deal with insurance, trying to figure out where they will live, trying to figure out the situation with his 11-year-old son and school . . . overwhelming. And of course there are the effects of seeing dead bodies and knowing people who have died. On top of all this they are dealing with a longterm, serious health issue in their family.
What can we do to help Shane and Linn deal with this disaster? Thanks for asking.
Are you ready to join me? Do you have an etsy shop or do you sell doilies on your website? Are you willing to give up some of your profits for a week for a good cause? Then get ready for "Shop for Jop." And email me if you think you might want to get in on this action.
Even if you don't have a doily shop you can help spread the word and you can "Shop for Jop!" Stay tuned for details . . .
Welcome friends, family, randoms, lurkers, blog addicts, fellow desperate moms, and Bono. This blog consists of mostly funny stuff that will make you feel better about yourself. Lots of mom comedy, non-Kodak moments, and un-fashion tips. On Wednesdays I write about my life as a former childhood actress complete with posts about how the entertainment business works, actors I met (or stalked), people and animals I worked with, my Hollywood friends, and photos of former teen heartthrobs. And if that’s not enough to draw you in to follow me . . . I have done some amazing giveaways. A rubber chicken, millions of doll hairs, and unlimited supplies of air. Come join the party.
