Tornados and Strep Throat

What a difference a day can make!

Yesterday was such a nice day, as was the weekend... but today is rather awful! We are being bombarded by high winds, pouring rain and tornado warnings. If you know me, you are aware of my fear of bad weather... I really, really hate it.

I can remember being at my Grandmother's house (across the field) and it was dark outside. My parents may have been out for a well deserved date, so my brother and I were staying with her until they returned. We always stayed in her kitchen as it was the center of the universe, and where she watched TV and read.

I remember the winds picked up considerably, lightening popped, and it was raining... I went straight under the table. It was so dark, and my imagination was running wild with what was happening outside that warm room. I can almost feel my heart beating out of my elementary school chest (or is it because mine is doing so today as well?) as I prayed to God to save us from the storm. I also prayed for Momma and Diddy to come home soon. It wasn't I didn't feel safe with Grandmomma, because I did, but I just wanted my Daddy!!! He was/is the calm in storms, and all things I can't handle.

Years later we experienced another storm I'll never forget. It was a Sunday afternoon and it got spooky quiet outside. Diddy and I went to the bay window to check it out when pieces of tin began to whiz by the house! And then it was tin, wood and tree limbs... it looked a weird shade of green out there too... Diddy and I then went to the french doors at the end of the room and saw a tornado across the pasture. I was mesmerized by this, as it had already destroyed the barn, taking the tin roof and wood and flinging it for miles. Our trampoline went end over end down through the yard to who remembers where. I do remember being really concerned for the cows who had no where to run as that wind tunnel began coming our way. (They survived it just fine...)

Momma and Billy saw all this as well, and Diddy was trying to get us to the back hall and bathroom... the tornado was coming across that pasture toward our home... I have never been as scared and unable to move in my whole life.

By the grace of God that tornado took a turn before it hit our house and "hopped" over the woods on the other side, taking with it only some shingles off the roof.

I have never been the same about weather again... I am a wimp, terrified.

Eight months pregnant with EJ, I trembled in our hall closet as we took cover from another tornado in the area... my girlfriend in Atlanta was in labor, and for a time labored in the hall of Northside Hospital as they were experiencing the same bad weather. My husband stood on our front porch loving it as the wind whipped around and trees bent over in crazy angles... we didn't get hit that time, but it sure was too close for my comfort!

As I write this the sky is clearing and it appears the rain is slowing... we are still under a tornado watch, but I feel much more at ease for the moment.

Just in case, I have cleaned out the hall closet. Or, BB and Reynie's basement is just a short drive down the dirt road...

As for the strep throat, I took EJ to the Dr yesterday and she has it... we are stuck in the house today as she is contagious until she has taken the antibiotic for 24 hours... Not that we will be going anywhere in this weather anyway! I expect Cub will get it too, but hope for the best.