Wild Weather

 Yesterday we were hit with some very surreal weather.

It started with thunder storms.

Something we are very very familiar with.

It seems most cold fronts meet up with a warm front

full of warm moist air from the gulf right over north Texas.

Usually creating spectacular lightening, deafening thunder

and many power outages.

But this time we weren't so lucky.

This time 12 tornadoes touched down in 1 afternoon.

I was lucky for friends that called and told me

the storms were becoming much much bigger

then anticipated.

After turning on the news and a quick phone call

to my husband at work did I come to learn

that the storms were pounding downtown Dallas

and some were turning into tornadoes.

And all of this, was moving to the North East....

straight toward our home.

Around 300pm I picked up Ben from

preschool and decided that since there was

lightening in the vicinity the Elementary School

probably wouldn't let my older daughters walk

home.  So I drove there too, and picked them up

15 mins early from school.

By 320pm the warning went out.

Making me realize that if I hadn't picked up

my kids from school they might not have been

with me.

The newsman announced that a tornado was touching

down on FM 740 on the west side of Forney.

This is exactly where I live.

With my heart pounding and my adrenaline

rushing I shoved my kids into the 1/2 bathroom

that lies in the center of our house.

I gave the youngest sippy cups of juice

to entertain them, grabbed candles (couldn't find

our flashlight) and locked the door.

I asked Sydney (the oldest) to say a prayer

while I got us all situated.

She was chocking up with tears and fear she

could barely get the words out.

Eventually Ben (5yrs old) took over.

For the next 15mins he probably said 10 prayers.

Soon you could hear a massive amount of wind.

Like your head was stuck inside a large fan

with tons of white noise.

A sound only the hand of God could make.

And then the lights flickered on and off.

Next came the shattering sounds of guns going off.

But it wasn't guns.

It was hail.

Very very large hail.

And all you can picture in your head is your 

house crashing around you.

After a few Primary songs

to calm ourselves,

we eventually peeked out

and this is what we found.

These tornadoes were 3 miles from our home.

Usually these types of things are disasters that happen to other people.

But now it's real.

Now it is 2 friends that have lost their homes.

An elementary school with roof damage.

On streets that I have driven on.

And now I KNOW....

It can happen to anyone!

Thankfully my home is intact and

my family is under it's roof safe and sound.