Sweet Home Alabama

Y'all, I'm a Southern gal, born and raised.  Mississippi is my home, but Alabama was my home-away-from-home for four years while attending the University of Alabama.  The city of Tuscaloosa will always have a piece of my heart; within its city limits I made friends and lost friends, met the first boy that I loved and first had my heart broken, failed my first class, saw my first "ghost," drank more margaritas than anyone has a right to, cheered for the Crimson Tide even though we were terrible at the time, and most importantly, spent some of the most memorable times of my life.

If you haven't heard, an F5 tornado ripped through the city yesterday leaving much of the campus unharmed, but literally leveling much of the surrounding city.  I am still shocked and saddened by the pictures and videos that keep coming from Tuscaloosa and nearby cities and communities; not only were cars and homes destroyed, but livelihoods and lives were lost as well. 

taken from University Downs parking lot, located on 15th Street in Tuscaloosa

my CVS at the corner of McFarland and 15th Street

15th Street, Tuscaloosa

a friend's [former] house

this is why you don't wait out a tornado inside your car

15th Street, Tuscaloosa

the front page of today's Tuscaloosa News

Videos of the tornado can be found here.

Please keep the victims of these deadly storms, and their loved ones, in your thoughts and prayers.  If you're in the DC area and happen to be reading this, some friends and I have organized a fundraiser for this Saturday evening at Gin & Tonic in the Glover Park neighborhood.  You can also donate online via the West Alabama Red Cross.