I have always been meticulous about backing up all unedited images to my website ASAP after each and every photography  job, “just in case” some unforeseen disaster should strike my camera, memory cards or computer before I can deliver  finished images back to my clients.  

I was glad of the habit when at 11:45pm on 3/31 such a crisis occurred.  A tornado touched down on our property, ripping the roof off our horse barn and throwing it into, over and inside the house.  The tornado also picked up and flipped over my horse trailer, damaged nearly everything in the yard, and felled multiple trees.  One of the trees was relocated inside my office and the force of the wind was enough to blast my office door off its hinges and embed glass shards from the window across the room and into the walls.

It was terrifying but there is much to be thankful for.  My children were not home that night. My husband and I had time to shelter in the basement with our dogs. It is a miracle that the horses only suffered mild cuts. Good friends, family and concerned neighbors came to help us.

 The horses had to be evacuated that night. Caring friends made room in their barns to house them until we can repair ours and bring them home again. Sadly, one of our barn cats did die, but the other five cats, rabbit and chickens were unharmed.

While the damage and clean up has been extensive, thankfully the barns and house are still standing. We have insurance and can repair, replace and rebuild. My office will be functional again soon.  The same tornado and storm cost many people in Johnson County to lose so much more. Click here to learn more and see how you can help.