Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Chalking it up as a drill

Dorthy you know you are in Kansas when you react the way I did today.

In Wyoming I can remember having a tornado 5 times. 3 of those were when I was a child. I don't remember much except my 6th grade teacher saying that if you come across someone who is getting hysterical you were suppose to hit them and the destruction in Cheyenne after one in 1979.  The last 2 happened when I was a teacher.  To keep the kids calm we read and sang songs as we waited for someone to tell us we were safe. I don't remember doing very many tornado drills as a child Since we live in tornado "alley" State Regulations for a In Home Day Care you have to practice doing a fire drill and a tornado drill every month. I have only done the drill once.

Today's forecast:  Rainy with thunderstorms through out the day high 65.

Put girls down for nap around 10 AM.
 Girls slept really well, thank you Jesus.
 I had started making lunch when it happened.

 The disaster sirens went off.  I am not sure what freaked me out more the fact that there have been  category 5 tornadoes rip through towns  in the region we live in, or it was the talk that K-Love had that stated  they had realized that material things that seem like our safe place can get ripped out of your hands in just a moment.  No matter what the reason I sprang into action.

I ran down the hall into the sleeping room.  I scooped the little girl I watch up in  a football hold and ran to Charleigh's  room and scooped her up. I ran downstairs and plopped them down in the bathroom.  I got them toys so they would have something to keep them occupied while I checked the weather.com to see if there was any updates letting me know where the storm was.  Nothing came  up
( Had to check it  because my zune battery needed charging and I hadn't been listening to the radio previously.)

I called Bill who did not answer and text  the little girls mom to see if they knew anything. After leaving messages I realized today is Wednesday.  At noon on  specific Wednesday's is when the siren is tested.  But it wasn't noon...so then my doubt returned and the siren went off agian so we stayed downstairs a little bit longer.

The little girls mother text back saying they had not even heard the sirens.  That seems crazy in such a small  town.  As a child we lived 1/2 a block from the school and the siren was so loud you could not hold a conversation. At least I am near a school  and can hear it very well.

I was so proud of the girls.  They didn't cry even when they were swept up at the very end of nap time when they were still asleep. I am pretty sure it was only me feeling the adrenaline pumping through my body.  Either way I think we are ready if a real tornado were to come.

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