PARKERSBURG - Most businesses face a battle in the beginning. Overhead, money and finding customers all create headaches for small business owners.

Katie and Joe Egloff encountered that and more.

A month after opening their home day care, an F5 tornado tore through the small town, causing thousands of dollars in damage to the couple's home and business. Though nearly a year has passed since the tornado hit, the Egloffs are still rebuilding.

"It was nothing compared to everyone else," said Katie, whose home sustained nearly $20,000 in damages.

No one in the family was home at the time, but that did little to keep the "what ifs" out of Katie's mind.

"We were in Jesup at the time," said Katie. "I had this story line playing in my head. I just imagined the girls crouching in the canning closet, and it didn't even happen."

Joe was able to get back into town the same night, though he had to park a mile away and walk through the rubble to reach the home.

"It was just chaotic," said Joe.

They put the business on hold for two weeks following the tornado while trying to clean up. A majority of the roof was blown away, and the house suffered water damage. For six weeks, the Egloffs had tarps tacked on the roof to take the place of shingles. Their two daughters could not sleep in their rooms for three months.

"Every time it would rain, it was stressful wondering what would leak next," Joe said.

"We've always had patience for kids," Katie said. "We had much less patience waiting for the work to be done on the house."

They also worried about reports of looting.

"I was in this panic," Katie said. "I was wondering, 'What if they steal this or that?"

The following weekend, the family went on vacation to Wisconsin Dells, hoping to escape the chaos. During their two days there, however, they found themselves at the mercy of the weather once again, with two tornado warnings in the area.

"I just couldn't believe it," Katie said.

Their day care, however, rebounded over the summer. A few day care providers closed, and the Egloffs began watching more children.

"We had one child we watched on a regular basis and a few others we watched occasionally," Katie said. "Now, we have two kids that are full time and two more that are going to be and one that we have part time."

Since the storm, Katie and Joe also have become respite care providers. This program allows parents with handicapped children or those with behavior issues a chance to run errands while someone looks after their children.

"It gives the parents a break," Katie said. "It gives them a chance to go to the grocery store or take care of other things without worrying about someone to look after their kids."

Contact Matt Sulentic at newsroom@wcfcourier.com.