We're not in Kansas anymore Toto

When I was growing up we would practice earthquake drills at school.  We all knew to get under our desks or tables or in a doorway to protect us from the possible falling debris in case of the BIG earthquake that was due any day.

Well here in the South we have different drills at school.  But today the girls didn't practice the drill.  They were doing the usual school things.  One was in the computer lab and the other was doing science when the siren started.  All of the kids knew what that particular siren meant.  Line up single file and head into the hallway.  Face the wall, get on your knees, and crouch down with your head between your legs.  30 minutes later they were able to go back to class.  A few hours later, repeat. Except this time it was 45 minutes and lunch time.

Until today, whenever there was a Tornado warning (weather conditions are right, be on alert) and more importantly a Tornado watch (one has been sighted, take cover now) we have all been together as a family.  We all head to the basement together, make sure our phones are plugged in and charging, watch the weather and follow the path of the storm, and pray, all together as a family. 

Today was different.  I was all by myself in the basement. 

The good thing (if there is a good thing) about a Tornado vs an Earthquake is that you can see them coming.  The weather men can predict that conditions will be right several days before the weather actually hits.  So we began the day knowing we needed to be careful.  We went about the morning as usual.  I kept the radar up on the computer as I went about my routine.  It looked like the worst of the storm was going to head north of us and we would just get bad rain.  Well when my phone started buzzing and the text said EXTREME DANGER TAKE COVER NOW, and kept going off I knew that wasn't the case and headed downstairs.  Then I came back up and used the bathroom (because no one wants to be in a disaster and be preoccupied with needing to go :) ), put on my shoes, grabbed my purse, jacket, computer and the girls favorite stuffed animals.  (They made me promise to take them down there so they would be "safe" if there was a Tornado :))

I was a mess. I knew they were all safe.  That more than likely we wouldn't see any damage and the storm would pass, but I still felt helpless.  As a mom/dad you want to protect your kids.  And I couldn't.  I wanted to drive to the school and pick them up.  But the threat was too great and the wind/rain was too crazy.  All I could to was pray.  Pray that they would be safe, but more importantly they would be brave.  That they would have faith that Heavenly Father would protect them until I could get there.  We had talked about being brave if they needed to that morning as I dropped them off.  (They were pretty nervous to go to school and had a hard time getting out of the van.)

When the watch was downgraded to a severe thunderstorm warning I headed out.  This is what it looked like as I pulled down our driveway.  It was raining SO hard.  We had our own waterfall, (on the upper left side, coming off of the retaining wall) a few fast flowing rivers and small pond at the bottom of the driveway where the water was pooling.

 

 

As I drove to the school I understood a little bit more about the flash floods our cousins get in Texas.  Usually we just stay inside and don't have to go anywhere so we don't see that part of these storms.  But today I got to see a tiny glimps of that part of mother nature and it was scary as I had to drive through large bodies of standing water, with more coming down every minute, to get to my babies.

As the girls climbed into the van I knew the plea of a worried mom had been heard .  They were all smiles and said, "Mom we were so brave when we had to go in the hall 2 times today.  We even got to eat lunch in our classrooms because we had to miss lunch time."

So today I give thanks.  Thanks for our safety, thanks for the power of prayers answered, and thanks for the glue board that caught another mouse my nose found as I was passing my time alone in the basement. :)


PS, here is a video of the twister that passed about 20 miles north of us today and did quite the damage.  16 dead and 5 in critical condition.