TEAM Hardison: Snomageddon 2014

Yesterday may have been the craziest day I have ever seen in our time in Birmingham. It ranks right up there from April 27, 2011 (day of the horrible tornadoes). We were told Monday evening that we might get a light dusting of snow Tuesday morning, but that all of the bad weather was going to hit just south of us. Boy, were they wrong.

I had to get out yesterday morning to take Avery to her follow up at the ENT. When we arrived at 9:15 it was barely starting to flurry. As we left it was starting to come down but wasn't really sticking on the roadways. The drive from the doctor's office to our house is about 15 minutes, and by the time I had gotten to our street, it was impassable. 15 minutes! I turned on our street (which is a steep decline) to see a bunch of cars slipping and sliding all over and not being able to get down the hill. I attempted to start down our street but immediately started sliding and had to pull into the church parking lot up there. I then tried to call almost every male in my family to give me instructions on how to drive in the snow, so I could attempt to safely get myself and Aves home (I'm a southern girl!). Of course no one answered. After a few minutes of sitting, M was able to call me back and we talked through me trying another street to get home. After a car stopping in front of me at a stop sign (Why they did that when the roads are slick is beyond me?), I attempted to accelerate and just kept spinning and then started sliding backwards, the only way I could stop myself from hitting the car behind me was to put my emergency break on. I slid into an embankment, but was able to get out after a few minutes. Long story short, I finally got home a few minutes after that, and safely barricaded myself inside the house.

As the day wore on, it became clear that I had the easiest snow day experience from many of my friends/family, and other Alabamians. My street became a parking lot about an hour later from cars getting stuck trying to get up the hill. My sweet sister-in-law after getting out of school herself could only get a mile away from the day school to pick the boys up and had to walk both ways in the snow to get them! Jonathan spent 10 hours in a car trying to get home as well. Our friend Mollie got stuck out 280 and had to get picked up from a coworker on a 4 wheeler and taken to his sister's house to spend the night. Another friend got stuck at the gym where he was teaching a yoga class. 75 people from the day school and church got stuck, many parents unable to get there to pick up their children (so thankful for so many selfless people there to take care of all those precious kiddos). Another friend got picked up by his wife walking down Lakeshore Pkwy to try and get to their kids there. Another dad from the day school walked 13 miles from his job to get there just so he would be able to spend the night with his 2 kids.

Even crazier, I heard this morning on the news about a girl who went into labor last night and her boyfriend had to deliver the baby at home while they were on the phone with some doctors giving them step by step instructions!

It is clear that us southerners are not very well equipped for these emergency snow situations. This is just a small sampling of crazy stories from yesterday. Lots of stranded people on the roads who had to spend the night in the cars, or abandon their cars and walk to a warming shelter. As of now, the roads are still dangerous, and we are all being encouraged to stay in today. They are in the process of sanding the roads, but it is not supposed to get above freezing today. Hoping it starts to melt soon, especially for all the kids stuck at schools in the area. On top of that, I am that mom who is running low on Avery's milk. Was not prepared. We are in rationing mode!

Thankful that all my friends and family are safe and warm. Continuing to pray for all of those who are still stranded and displaced from their homes and families! Hearing all the various stories this morning of all the good Samaritans out there helping others get unstuck, get gas, by giving rides to strangers or even opening their homes to people stranded, it makes me proud to be a part of the South! Nothing quite like Southern Hospitality!

Post by MyFoxAL.com.