Tornado Warnings..

First of all, this is not about the condition of my house...even though there is evidence that a tornado strikes every other day!!

Growing up in Las Vegas did not prepare me for many things in my life. Do not get me wrong, I had a fabulous childhood, however marrying a cowboy and moving to Wisconsin was not likely on my "Things to do" list in life.

Let's take last night. It was about 7:15 and all of the sudden as we are watching American Idol, Storm Tracker comes on and states that they have issued a Tornado Warning for our county. We have a pretty big county and I wasn't worried. However about 20 minutes later I realized that the path of the tornado forcasted to hit Highway 96 - the highway 1 mile to the south of us! I tried not to panic, called my neighboors and told the kids to head to the basement. (Which of course they would not do....) We were told between 8:06 - 8:15 was the predicted time of the storm to pass through our township.

The kids at this point were crying...I mean crying crying, sobbing. I finally went to the stairs and said, "Guys, what is wrong, we are going to be fine." Tate said "Mom Heavenly Father is preparing the earth for Jesus and he is going to kill all the wicked people!" I had forgotten that early that morning we were reading in the scriptures about when Christ would visit the earth again and the thundering/earthquakes that would come to prepare the earth for his coming. My children seriously believed that today was the day.

I took them to the bathroom downstairs, pulled the cushions off the couch, got blankets, water and my purse and we waited for the storm to pass. I said to them. "What do we do when we are scared?" Tye said, "Pray, I've already said 20 and now I'm not going to have a Dad for the rest of my life." While I was obeying the National Weather Forecast and going to a safe place, my husband was outside video recording the whole thing. I don't understand men and especially my husband, but we survived. (At one point we could see the twister, and it was pretty memorizing....but seriously! I'm upping his life insurance!)

I learned some valuable lessons. First, that my children actually listen during scripture study in the morning so I better start upping my teaching tactics. Second, that I am soooo not ready for any type of national disaster and I better start getting ready physically, mentally and spiritually. My children clung to me in that bathroom, and relied on my faith, it was a feeling I've never felt before. I have so many areas of improvement in my life. Third, after the storm had passed I went upstairs relieved and started doing normal things again. Tye came in and said, "Mom, I know we are OK, but what about everyone else, should we say a prayer and see if we can go help?" It was a grave lesson as to my selfishness. I had not stopped to think of the others that might have been effected, I just started putting the dishes in the dishwasher. I'm thankful for a Son who is so caring. (Now, if I could get him to not tease his brother....it would be a serious miracle!)

The storm passed, luckily no one is the area was hurt or extremely effected. It was just a warning, but some very valuable lessons were learned and hopefully will never be forgotten!