Inside An 80 mph Wind Storm

I guess my biggest summer news is that I almost died on July first. 

Hail Stones.  Not the largest by any means.

The barn I was in.

Side view of barn.

Explanation:  I was milking at Sheldon Nelson's, and it had been a 95 degree day, right?  So, it follows that I was hot and prayed for rain. (I was outside bringing in the cows).  So, 6 drops fell on my head.  Then nothing. 

After about 10 minutes, it started pouring.  And hailing.  I heard God tell me that, for some reason, I needed to cradle my head and neck in my hands.  So I did, and not even a second later, a golf-ball sized hailstone hit my arm covering my neck.  Ouch! 

For about half an hour or so, we milked (soaking wet).  Just the two of us were there, and I was starting to get nervous.  Because, you see, there was constant thunder rolling in the distance, the cows were acting funny, the rain had stopped, the sky was green, it was too humid, and the air smelled funny.  Not to mention it was dark as night, not black though, more of a forest green.  The power went out and came back on within a second.  This happened 3 times.  Finally, the fourth time, it stayed off.  Suddenly, the rain was back, harder than ever.  I could see nothing, and it was only seven o'clock.  I just stood there, not having any other choice.  Now, Sheldon is one laid back guy.  He NEVER panics or is upset about anything.  So when he hollered (panicked tone), "ERICKA WHERE YA AT?!?!" I freaked out.  He told me to run for the stairs, so I did, right behind him.  We tried to escape the barn, but we realized that the winds were gonna suck us out of the window.  So, he turned, and in an effort to save both of our lives, he shoved me down the staircase.  I hit my head on the railing or something, and passed out.  I rolled the rest of the way down the stairs, bumping and bruising and scraping blood vessels all the way.  I woke up with Sheldon pushing me up towards the door of the engine room, a small 6 by 8 foot room with no windows.  I was soaking wet, I couldn't hear anything over the roaring wind.  I sat against the west wall like he told me too, stuck my head between my knees, covered my spinal cord with my arms, and cried.  The reason I did this was that I could hear roaring wind, calves and calf huts and debris blowing around, and Sheldon outside yelling at cows.  Plus, I could feel the ceiling above me (the floor of the first story) starting to give, so I figured I needed to protect my head and spinal cord.

I couldn't see my hand in front of my face, and was cold and more scared then I have ever been before.  I could not feel any pain yet, I was just numb all over.  I cried and cried and cried some more.  Sheldon came back in, and I asked him if we were safe, if we would live, if we were gonna make it. 

His response?   "I hope so."  I cried quietly and he left to shove some more cows out. 

I only had peace in that dark room twice.  Once, when I stopped, calmed down, and realized, I am going to die.  I knew I was going to, and Sheldon did too.  He was acting unlike himself, actually running for safety instead of being daring and reckless, like usual.  I sat and thought for a few minutes.  If we were going to die anyway, why panic?  I'm ready, I'll just go to be with Jesus.  For a couple minutes, the fear subsided and I prayed something like this: "Jesus, I don't care that I don't get to work at camp this summer.  It means nothing.  I don't care about the petty arguments with my sister and who wins anymore.  It means nothing.  I regret all of this.  Please, Jesus, let Sheldon make it out of that stanchion room.  I know I won't live, but let him and his boys live.  Please, Jesus, let it be quick, without much pain." 

Then I wrapped my head in my arms again, and cried softly.  After awhile, the fear of dying was there, and I was panicking again.  I think Sheldon wasn't feeling great either.  Suddenly, (this whole time I had been listening to beams cracking and walls splitting) the entire barn collapsed.  I screamed, but I couldn't even hear it.  It was that loud.  I jumped up, panicked, then fell back down again, cuz I figured I had a better chance (if one at all) curled up in a ball than standing.  Then, (this was the second time I felt peace), I had a weird almost out of body experience where I suddenly (with my eyes open!) saw myself laying in a heap on the wet concrete, then suddenly I saw Jesus wrapped around me in such a way that if the roof caved, it would land on Him.  I cried softly, calmed down, and relaxed a little, knowing this was a vision, but thinking that it was sort of a comfort for death. Suddenly, death wasn't quite as scary anymore.  Almost welcome, just to escape the emotional pain I was feeling.  I felt a sudden urgency (I had felt this all the time) to pray for Sheldon's sons.  I did, then suddenly, as the barn was still collapsing, I saw the ceiling above me (the first story, I was in a basement) totally shift 6 inches off the concrete base.  Now, at least, could see.  I felt faint hope, because for one, I could see.  After half an hour of sitting in complete darkness by yourself, you cling to daylight.  For two, the wind had slowed down to a really bad thunderstorm.  That's pretty good for last night.  And three, Sheldon was yelling for me to come out.  I went out, surveyed the damage, the fallen trees, etc.   Then, he said to go back down, cause more winds came.  I went back, but first, I risked injury or death to rescue some kittens that fell out of the loft when it got ripped up.  They fell through a hole in the floor into the haystack in the basement.  I grabbed them, stuck the two of them in my shirt, and huddled back in the engine room.  Anyhoo, I ended up coming back out and looking around, then heading home. 

Those boys I was supposed to pray for?  They were about a mile down the road in a field, stacking bales in a tractor with their Grandpa.  They had a bale on the front of the tractor, and a gust of wind hit them, then the bale shredded.  That was when they decided to head for cover.  They all ran for the gas station next to the field, but it was locked.  So they ran for a bunch of bales they had stacked.  They crawled between the big bales and waited out the storm....they are thankfully all well. 

The injury around here is at 39 people, with more barns and houses down then I can count.  Our house has some shingles stripped from it, and a couple of trees down.  Also, our corn crib got shoved about 2 feet of its base.  My personal injuries are a huge scrape down my leg, headaches from hitting my head, and a very bruised backbone.  That's nothing compared to Mackenzie Clair, a girl from Hinckley, who was walking to her Grandmother's, trying to find shelter, and a tree fell on her.  She was 11 years old.