Man, keep Alabama and the surrounding states in your thoughts and prayers! Over 195 dead in Alabama alone.  It was aweful, the town just below me got hit the hardest with miles upon miles just GONE!  It was the biggest storm I have seen period!  My family is safe, which is great! Unfortunatly tht isn't the case for many, many people.  I hope to go volunteer my time for the search for missing persons and food distribution tomorrow.  Its funny how things get put in perspective for you! You can read all about disasters like Japan, the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, Va. Tech shooting etc etc etc and feel moved but not compassionate or truely feel the hurt that those people felt.    I have to say that when disaster comes to your area, it puts alot in perspective about natural disasters, and the value of human life.  I think at least in my case, mentally we know the value of life, but it takes something like this to really drive it home.  The Fragility of our existence on this Earth.

Thank you Dr. Sick. Honestly when I went down there it was one of the worst things I'v ever seen in my life.  Entire city blocks are completly leveled, litterally nothing is left but piles of splinters.  There were bus' and cars that where thrown streets at a time, and 150 year old trees that were torn up at the roots. The stench of the dead still in many places. I heard some amazing stories from survivors while I was down there though.  One family ran a law firm and was working when the Tornados hit.  The wife had two bookshelfs fall and make a cave for her where she survived, and the husband had just left his desk when a wall fell directly on it.  They stayed buried in the rubble for 15 min before someone heard them screaming and got them out.  Another group of people had hit the floor and the storm ripped appart the house with them in it, but left them completely unharmed.  It goes on and on just like that.  You would see homes that were demolished and yet a table with a TV on it would still be standing as if nothing had happened.  Its a life changing experience to say the least.

Yes the Red Cross has a sizable presence there, as well as the National Guard.  The NG has closed off the disaster areas to all but volunteers working with Hands on Birmingham or other such organizations.  All the information about donating to anything can be found here: http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/…..index.html

Thanks for your prayers, they are much appreciated. *Bow*