Ahhhh Freak Out!!!!

This image is very familiar to me. 

Growing up in North Dakota, I saw my fair share of tornadoes. Yep, saw them. Not just heard about them, saw them. One time a tornado was right by our family vehicle when we were traveling home from Grandma's house.  Dad had to pull into a farmers garage for shelter. Did we know the guy.....Nope, didn't matter there was a tornado and he needed to protect us. So he didn't care if he knew him or not, it was what Dad needed to do. 

My dad freaks out when tornadoes are in the area. He takes it very seriously. When a tornado watch is in place, dad immediately makes us take cover. Looking out the windows to check the twister out is not an option. When I was younger my dad was an electrical line man, and worked outdoors enduring every weather condition North Dakota dished out. Summer time meant storm season, which meant tornadoes. He watched them jump from 50 miles away to right next to him. So he knew first hand how crazy tornadoes are and that standing outside watching one 50 miles away was just plain stupid in his mind. 

I use to make fun of my dad about how much he freaked out about the storms, in fact I still do from time to time. I guess until recently it was funny to me because we haven't faced tornado warnings since I became a mom. 

Until recently, we have lived in places where severe weather consisted of strong winds and that was about it. Nothing extreme but the heat. It has been nice, but has also made me forget how scary these twisters, or even the threat of them is. This fear came back this past December. The kids were at school and I was at home decorating for Christmas. Yep, decorating for Christmas, not exactly the time of year one would expect a tornado! The skies were crazy that morning and I had an unsettling feeling when our kiddos got on the bus. Around 10 am the sirens went off and the wind picked up. I had a feeling of panic rush through me. My kiddos were away and and a tornado was spotted in the area. I wanted them home with me where I could keep them safe, where I could help take their fears away. I had to trust my children's wonderful teachers to keep them safe. I was a bit freaked out......OK, a lot freaked out. That was the moment I understood why Dad freaked out. He wanted to keep us safe, protect us from everything and take our fears away. I couldn't do that.  So I prayed that my kiddos would stay safe and unafraid. They did and I was very thankful when they were finally home and never wanted to be in that situation again. 

Today my fear and freaking out is back because we are in that situation again. We have had a tornado watch once a week for the last 4 weeks.  So having another one this week doesn't upset me, until the weather man says things like, "this is going to be history making weather",  and "we will be talking about this day for years to come because of the amount of tornados expected ".  Unsettling statements to say the least.  The tornado threats are starting right now and will continue until 4 am. It is not like it is one storm passing through, it is several over a long period of time.  The school decided to let out early so kids would be home safe before the storms hit. Good deal, right? They will be home were I can protect them. Scott is on his way home and kids are.......oh wait only 2 of my kids are home. Jessie is in Atlanta, yep a state away from us on a field trip. She is on the bus right now heading home. On a bus traveling in the storms path.....not my idea of a safe place. My freak out level is high. She is texted me with updates, completely oblivious as to what is going on and confused why I am wanted updates every minute. She is acting just like I did when my dad freaked out! 

So, here I sit trying to not freak out and watching the news hearing about the tornado sightings praying that they don't come near us. If the tornadoes hit our area, I pray my daughter is under our roof not on a bus....

I have loved living in North Dakota and Alabama, but after today I am ready to head back to No Tornadoville! I will take extreme heat over and high winds over tornados any day.