The moment after...

   The moment after I saw the tree I called my neighbor Scotty & asked if the tree was blocking the front door. (I needed to know if we could escape that way or if I needed to shoot / break out our bathroom window)  Seconds later, ten barefoot gentlemen barged into our home & started grabbing our pictures off of the wall, took my children and wife, and other items they could grab in a hurry and took them all to his (Scotty's) house. (It didn't sink in until a bit later that Scotty had put up a bouncy play house for the kids in his back yard which I assume that is why they were all barefoot! haha  * Insert Arkansas Joke here *)

   Then they repeated trip after trip with suitcases, boxes, coolers, etc. to place items into.  We were able to salvage my guns, family photos, two laptops, my clothes, & most of my wife's clothes.  One of the guys I noticed was Pat Bradley.  (I didn't have time to stop & say hello but if you ever read this... I want to say "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!")

   So then I remembered that my computer backups were in the home & I knew my wife would never let me live down the fact that 'an IT Director "forgetting" what he's preached for many years'.  So Andy (another great neighbor) & I went back into the home one last time to fetch the External HDDs that I had our entire life stored upon.  We ran in & the house was literally moaning, creaking, & settling as we scurried through.  I grabbed the HDDs and out the door we sprang and not one moment too soon because the ceiling collapsed as we exited & closed the door.

  My family & I are truly blessed to have neighbors of this caliber!  They are awesome & I pray God takes care of their every need.

   Once everyone was clear I sent my wife & children to our friends home and started calling the insurance, police, fire department, etc.  It was funny because the 911 dispatcher told me to get atop of the home & remove the tree.

This image is looking into our hallway toward the children's bedrooms. 
The ONLY two items that remained on the walls were two crosses.

Stay tuned for the next day of events!