Riding it Out

Yesterday was a scary day for those of us in the South. We were pounded with storm after storm; storms that brought rain, thunder, lightening, hail and tornadoes. As we come out of hiding this morning, we are thinking of the people of Tuscaloosa, AL, and all that they have lost.

Thankfully, although we had our fair share of warnings, hail, and rain, we are safe and sound this morning with no damage to speak of. We are of the lucky few. So many of our friends, and even our neighbors, did not escape extensive property damage. However, they are all safe. Nothing was lost that cannot be replaced, and for that I am thankful.

The girls and I spent the day yesterday preparing for the storm by cleaning out the closet under the stairs; our storm haven. I knew that it was inevitable that we would be in there at some point, and I needed to be prepared. I kept a watchful eye on the news and the sky. When the clouds started rolling in, I began to pray that my babies would be safe and that Andy would come home safely. My prayers were answered to both.

The night was long, with constant trips in and out of the small, hot closet, but the girls were troopers. Sophia cried a little, but for the most part, was happy. Emma was content with her toys and the captive audience. We sang songs, played with flashlights, and ate snacks. We heard the hail pummel our house, but the girls never flinched. I'm so glad that they know that we will do anything and everything to keep them safe. After the tornado warnings had passed, we let Emma stay up until most of the storms were gone, fearful of the wind that continued (there were reports of 70 mph wind gusts!). She was happy to stay up and continued to play in the closet--it had become her own little hideout.

Here are a few pictures I couldn't help taking during our Storm Adventure.
I hope that you and your loved ones are safe this morning, ready to greet the sunshine of today.