Movies, cakes, and Tornados.....

With it being summer and all, we have what we like to call "construction season" here and that means delays. Last Wednesday as I was driving to Billings for a date and wedding cakes, I got stuck behind a few semi's, and long lines of cars and was unable to pass because there was so much rain and water that I couldn't see far enough ahead to pass....Little did I know that at that point in time Billings was getting pelted with rain and south of Billings was getting pelted with this crazy hail. Windows were busted out, vehicles damaged, and houses flooded or water damaged. The next day I had to start the wedding cakes for my Friends Shannon and Weston, and I had a lot of work to do. Friday I had a date planned and I started the day knowing what I had to accomplish. I went into Billings for Shannons Endowment session, and then was invited out to lunch with the family. I came home and worked on cakes for several hours before I had to clean things up and get ready for the date. We bbqd and played games with Nita and Ron, and really had a nice evening. Saturday Morning I woke up early because I was supposed to be to the Temple early with Weston's pants (they needed hemmed). The sesson was beautiful and afterwards I realized my friend Kolter had taken his endowments out at the same time as the sealing so I waited for him to come out so I could congratulate him and talk for a few minutes. My friend Tana realized I needed help finishing cakes so she volunteered to spend the day helping me and we set out to do cakes. She was a tender Mercy because I wouldnt have finished them like I did without her help. The cakes were beautiful, they were finished on time.

On Sunday I met up with Chris about the same time a storm hit Billings....a very severe thunderstorm with really scary lightening and torrential rains. I was following his truck across town and was shocked at how much water was in the streets, it was really really deep and crazy! Driving took us a half an hour, and there was so much water coming down still! I was really grateful that I was following him and didnt have to focus on where I was going, but only who was in front of me. The streets of Billings were flooding, and conditions were not good for driving. He stopped to pull a car out of the street and to safety after the engine got too much water in it and wouldnt drive.....and then we got to the house. He was soaked so he had to change before he cooked dinner. The craziest part of the week though was the middle of that rain storm...a tornado touched down in Billings Montana, the first in 52 years!!!!!! This put us on the map. The Weather Channel stated that temporarily week tornado alley has been extended to Montana and North Dakota, and the week promises to be crazy. Weather all over the nation is insane, and I am amazed at how much damage it can do, and how Heavenly Father really blessed us and takes care of us amidst the storm. We went walking with his dogs and ended up passing the tornado track. (the walk was wonderful, the debris was incredible!) the following pictures are of the tornado, the Rain, the Metra (12,000 person sports arena that was hit), and areas surrounding the Metra. Life is good, and the whole city was beautiful a couple hours after the storm. Amazing!!!!