Riding the Storm Out - June 17

Our band's rehearsal this week turned into a time of shared survival as we waited out a threatening storm. While our community - and even our physical location in the community - fared well (only severe wind damage with downed power lines and trees), others were not as fortunate.

As you can see from my vlog, every person reacts to threatening weather in a different way. But we knew that already, right? What you won't see here are the vast number of text messages and phone calls that were being made by each one of us to our loved ones. We all needed to be assured and reassured that our children and significant others were safe and acting responsibly.

What you will see in the vlog is how a married couple - namely Mark and me - can act fully opposite of each other during a time like this, and how we likely weren't fighting about it because we didn't want to fight in front of our friends. That is simplistic thinking - totally - as I'm not acknowledging all the other dynamics at work. I believe there is likely a testosterone v. estrogen ratio at work, guiding reactions during a storm, as well. I'll leave you to hypothesize about how the ratio may or may not manifest itself.

Anyway, I know this: If I have to be hunkered down somewhere riding a storm out, and I'm not with my children, I can think of no better place to be than with my husband and a handful of really great friends, and I can think of no better situation for my children to be in that where they were last night. Stross - with a nurse/friend in our basement; Skye - with faculty friends and their son in their basement.

Not gonna lie, wasn't thrilled about the sheet metal roof over my head, but at least the building had a cinder block bathroom. And we could have all fit in it if we had to! Just so you know ...

Since last night my thoughts and prayers have been with families whose lives have been changed forever by the tornadoes and severe storms that blew through. My paternal grandparents had to rebuild their farm after a tornado when my father was 7 years old. My Aunt Lois' and Uncle Chuck's farm has been hit by a tornado - twice. One of my cousins has also had to rebuild a farm after a tornado, and another cousin has in-laws whose quality of physical life has forever been altered because of a tornado. The danger and impact of nature's atmospheric turbulence is all too real sometimes.

When I think of tornadoes - or twisters, as some like to call them - I also think of this line: "It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt." Indeed.

I pray you are feeling safe and well-cared for today. And, perhaps like me, you have appreciated the reminder that - truly - there is no place like home. No place at all.