I thought this was Virginia not Kansas

Tornado watch in our area + school pick up time = one crazy afternoon.

Sparky rode his bike to school this morning, but when I saw the dark, thick clouds building outside, I thought we'd meet him at school with the car and drive home instead. As I was trying to load his bike into the car, a teacher opened the school door and yelled that there was a tornado watch (or warning...which is more serious??? Regardless, she had SERIOUS written all over her face) and to get inside quick.

Ooooo-K....just a little panic on my face.

So I ran back over to the car, grabbed Catfish and Tres and said we had to get inside NOW. Thankfully they knew I meant business and they were fast. We got into the school and that's when I realized this was not a drill. All the kids were in "the position". You remember, on your knees, head tucked, with hands over your head. The lights were out and the school was silent. We were quickly ushered into a computer lab and told to get under a desk. I got a little mama bear going on and told the teachers that I wasn't going to be in the school but not with my first grader. They told me I had to stay put, that he was just next door, but I'm no good at listening sometimes. I walked to the next room, spotted Sparky and told him to come with me now.

Thank God we were at least together for all of it.

As it stands, I don't think any tornadoes touched down in our neighborhood. I haven't checked the news yet to see if there were any nearby. But it was black outside and very windy (gusts 50-60 mph), and heavy downpours. The school did lose power and we stayed under our desks for the better part of the hour.

I have to give two big thumbs up to our school administration and teachers. I thought they handled it exceptionally well, especially with the added chaos of having the warning occur right at dismissal. After the worst seemed to go by, they did allow those of us who were in the building to take our children home. We didn't stop for backpacks, lunch boxes or even Sparky's bike...we just said a quick prayer of Thanksgiving and left. I'm not sure how the rest of the kids were dismissed, but I'm glad to be home now, power back on and skies clearing.

It was scary. It is only now, almost two hours later that my hands have steadied. I'm so very glad I was able to hold my boys in my arms throughout the entire ordeal. I'm so thankful our school practices this drill frequently and that everyone responded exactly as they should have; at least I have seen firsthand that if I wasn't able to be there, that they were truly safe and secure. But most of all, I'm just thankful it is over. Although it was a good opportunity to sit with the boys and honestly demonstrate how God is with us no matter what, how our prayers can keep us calm, I'm just really, really thankful it is over.