There's no place like home...

Yesterday started out like any other day, everyone went to school and I met a friend at the movies.  Ok, that's not how every day starts, but it sure was a nice treat...even if the movie was horrible. ;)  Besides me seeing a movie on a weekday, there was another notable difference, the air was hot and humid and felt electrified.  All of the local weathermen were forecasting that conditions were perfect for massive storms to fire up during the late afternoon hours.  People were advised to cancel evening activities, business closed early and kids were checked out of school early so that families could hunker down at home together.   Spring storms are a part of life in Oklahoma.  We are all familiar with terms like sink drain, hook echo and vortex.  There are even drinking games devoted to severe weather, every time the weatherman says hook echo take one shot, maxi tornado take two shots etc etc.  I wouldn't recommend this game if you are trying to keep three kids calm when there is a new tornado on the ground about every 3 minutes.  The weather was so severe and lasted for so long yesterday that if you had been playing you would have been face down somewhere by the end of it all, and not because you were taking your tornado precautions. ;)  We spent the afternoon watching the coverage as the storms began to form.  The storm chasers were out and were streaming live footage of tornadoes as they fell from the sky like giant octopus arms grabbing at anything in their path.  We watched 18 wheeler's get blown over, power lines go down and buildings obliterated.  This is all happening less than 30 miles from our house.  Then they went back to the studio while storm chaser A tried to back up real quick out of the way of the debris being hurled at him and showed the radar.  The current projection had us in the direct path of that tornado.  Three boys here are starting to loose it.   They are all running around like crazy people grabbing pillows and bike helmets and water bottles while I'm saying, "Look outside, it's not even raining here yet."  It's time for a diversion, front yard boys.  A little game of burnout with the baseball will calm anyone's nerves...except mine because they all three throw way too hard and I'm scared to death I'm going to catch one in the teeth. ;)  I've got everyone calmed down and am keeping an eye on the radar on my phone when Bud pulls in the driveway.  He hops out of his car and immediately says, "Get your camera out, we need to take pictures of everything before this thing hits."  What?  Did he seriously just pull in here and throw that out?  Good Lord, now everyone is back in a panic.  The little is running around like Chicken Little, the big one is trying to act cool but is high tailing it inside and the middle disappears into the garage.  He emerges a few minutes later and says, "I'm ready!  Nothing's gonna hurt me now." Love that kid. :)  During this chaos the tornado sirens start to blare their warning that there is indeed a tornado on the ground within 10 miles of us.  All I can do is stand there with my hands on my hips huffing, "Why did you have to get everyone all riled up, as if these damn sirens aren't enough to set anyone's switch to full crazy!"  He starts laughing, apparently he was joking about the camera.  Ohhhh, sorry, we've all lost our sense of humor sometime during the last 2 1/2 hours of full drama from weather guys.  Ha. Ha. Ha. :))

Shortly after all that craziness, the monster made a turn north and cut a mile wide path of destruction about 15 miles west of us through several small towns on the outskirts of Oklahoma City.  A mile wide...it's hard to even visualize that.  People's home's were flattened with nothing left but the foundation, cars were in trees, lives were lost; children were pulled from their mother's arms and are still missing.  It is like watching a nightmare playing out on the television.  It is heartbreaking.  It is also a good reminder to hug your kids every day, even when they are being little buggers. ;)  To tell your family and friends that you love them many times every day.  It reminds us that stuff is just stuff and can be replaced.  Dorothy said it best, "There's no place like home", and what makes a house a home is the people inside it.

As our neighbors start the overwhelming task of cleaning up and starting over today, we pray for the families who have lost.  Oklahoma is a place full of amazingly kind people and help will be handed out in a myriad of ways.  Houses will be rebuilt and things that can be replaced will be, and we will move forward.

The wine of the day is Trefethen chardonnay.  It is a very peaceful and easy going white that can be enjoyed with several different entrees and desserts.  I'm feeling some cupcakes coming over here!

Happy storm free Wednesday! :)