quick prayers

[mommax3]

Any one who sees this.....send me a few!

We have a really strong storm headed this way, with 70+ MPH winds and I don't mind saying that I am skeered! We have a storm shelter, and I am getting stuff together to go down there with Nathan (who is napping).

Wichita Falls is not known for much, but it IS known for a whopper of a tornado that hit in 1979......it was three miles wide at its base. All I am picturing right now in my head is the footage I have seen of that.

I will check back later and hopefully laugh at myself for being afraid. 8O

Sally

[PrincessFiona]

Oh, Wow, Sally....Hopefully things will be ok!!!!

kris

[Meenah]

I'm sending hugs and prayers.
Luanne

[mommax3]

Thanks guys. I am fine, but I am not laughing at myself for being afraid....I had good reason! As soon as I got done posting, I turned off the computer and the power went out about 1 minute later. I had been scurrying around finding batteries, etc., before getting on the computer so I turned on the radio and heard that we were under a tornado warning....at the same time, I looked out the patio window and saw our chairs (which are NOT light) being tossed around like popcorn.

I ran like a woman possessed to get Nathan and then ran through the pouring rain to get into the storm shelter. I had to leave him there while I went to get my purse, cell phone, and radio, and flashlight, and again while I got the dog, and he was petrified. We stayed down there about a half hour and then came back to the house. We had a light post by our driveway that was completely ripped out by the winds.....it is now laying on the front lawn.

Our electricity was out for two hours....it was out at the boys' school, too, so they called me on my cell and asked if I could come pick them up, which I did. Luke had a piano lesson after that, so we just got home and I haven't watched tv since we got home, so I don't know what all happened here.....but I do know that at a school not far away, a gym roof was ripped off! 8O

I guess it's that time of year. Now it is beautiful outside.

Sally

Yikes, Sally! Glad to hear you made it through the storm.

I remember when we lived in Oklahoma City we barely missed the path of the F5 tornado that destroyed whole neighborhoods in May '99. I don't miss living in tornado alley.

[Meenah]

Oh my gosh, I'm glad you are OK.
Luanne

The joys of Wichita Falls, I remember them well. Spring was always my favorite time there as I am crazy about tornados, probably chased them in a former life. DH and his family lost evrything they owned in the Tornado there in 79 including his dog that was impaled to a tree.

Glad to hear you are safe, boy I miss that weather, send some to Ohio. I know, I'm crazy.

The Oklahoma City tornado made its way up and spawned off several other twisters in Tulsa while we were there. I have some great video from the balcony of our apartmemt of one hitting the power sub-station. It was like 4th of July! Having grown up living in the them it is still amazing the noise and destruction that they bring.

[SueC]

Wow, that is scary Sally! I'm glad you guys are OK!

[PrincessFiona]

HOly Cow, sally...I saw pictures on the news yesterday...I am glad that you guys are ok!!!

kris

Scared of thunder, now I know where not to live!

Oh I couldn't imagine!! This past summer I was working in the dorm @ my university in PA and we had what i considered a really bad storm. I saw in my window *smart, I know* and watched a light post fall over, 5 large branches fall into the street, 1 just barely missed a man. The sky was brown and the rain was so intense I couldn't see the building across the street, less than 200 feet away! The power went out shortly there after, and that's eerie in a building more than 100 yrs old. I'm a great big wuss, hadn't my bf been there I woulda been under my bed! Hehe, I'm awfully glad you and your kids are okay!

Laura

[peggyfromwastate]

i would take an earthquake any day over a tornado--- glad you all are ok sally! i couldn't believe how huge the tornado watch area was on the weather updates-- scary!!!!

Sally, I am glad that you (and family) were safe during the storm. I saw some of the debris online and some on the news today.

Nothing like a good "early" spring storm to get the blood going, huh?!

[mommax3]

Beautiful day here today....sunny and 63 degrees!

They clocked a wind gust of 91 mph at the base where my husband works yesterday! A school in the area had the walls of its gym collapse.....the teacher was preparing to send the kids to the locker room for safety but it hit before she could. She got hurt, but all of the kids were okay. There were three or four houses destroyed here....they look like someone stepped on them. The storm moved through really fast, though, which was a blessing.

Some schools are out today because of continuing power outages, but mine are back at school. My son's Kinder teacher was really smart.....the class was all crammed into the faculty restroom, and she brought a candle in with her and told the kids that they were going to pretend they were around a campfire....they have been studying cowboys. So they weren't freaked out at all. My older son was a little more scared.....he and his classmates were in a storage closet and many of the kids were crying. He said he had a lump in his throat.

I really feel for all the teachers in situations like this.....probably because I used to be one. When we would have severe weather in Indiana and I was teaching, I felt my responsibility for the kids in my classroom VERY keenly.

Hopefully this will be the closest I will come to a tornado the rest of my time here!

Sally

[Rapunzel]

I'm glad you are all OK.

Tornadoes are nothing to laugh at....

Jennifer