tonight, my heart is broken: Joplin, MO

Today was such a wonderful day. Awesome weather. I actually enjoyed church this Sunday. The kids were happy. We had people over for dinner and then I get a text from my best friend Sarah; it said:
Tornado hit Joplin. My family is all okay but the house is demolished and they had to get people to get my mom out but she is okay. As far as i know they are at a church (wildwood baptist church). The high school and church are gone.

For those of you who don't know I was raised in Joplin Missouri. I graduated from high school there, i met my husband in Joplin. My fondest memories are in Joplin.

I instantly started making phone calls, yelling at austin to call his parents to make sure that everyone is okay.
Almost all of my friends have been accounted for except for one person. She was working at st. johns when the tornado hit. I'm praying that she's okay. I've never been so emotional about natural disasters, but this one was personal.


75% of Joplin is gone.. my hometown, the place where my heart resides

it looks like a third world country. a war scene.

 The path that the tornado took, straight through the heart of Joplin

 My High School, ruined, unfixable

 St. Johns, where the girl who we've not heard from works. She was working there tonight when the tornado hit.

St. Johns and their helicopter.

I don't normally say things like this, but if you could, please keep the people of Joplin, MO in your prayers. I know of 8 people already who have lost their homes. I wish that there was more that we could do, but prayers seem to be the only thing.