I remember times when Mom would give us a bag and tell us to go upstairs and grab what we wanted to keep. Times of sitting in my parent's closet, listening to the weather broadcasting from my brother's Transformer radio.
Every time we emerged from the closet- house in tact. With tornados far from us.
And while, when I was younger, there were close calls like the May 3rd tornado, I have never been scared of tornados.
But then I had kids and a house. And somehow my outlook changed.
So today when the sky turned green and began to churn like an upset stomach- I knew that doesn't mean anything good was yet to come.
So as I went through the house taking pictures for photographic proof should we need to file insurance claims, LK packed the car with our dog, the kids, the hard drive and my dad's guitar. And then we all went to safety. But in the end, we piled it all back in the car and went back to our home. With tornados far from us.
And here I sit, in my undamaged house, viewing pictures of all that others lost. Hearing the story of people who's bathtub safety plan didn't work. Hearing stories of the missing child in Four Corners. Seeing houses leveled. And I think how blessed I have been that in 30 years of living in Oklahoma, I have never had to experience what people are experiencing tonight.
Tonight I am thankful for the shelter Oklahoma Christian provided for us- such a calming thought to know we had somewhere safe to go. Tonight I am thankful for the excellent forewarning we had. And I am thankful that everyone I know is safe.
My heart and my prayers are with those who cannot say the same.
