Taking Cover

Aaron called me early Tuesday afternoon, asked me where I was, then we had the following conversation.

A: I want you to do me a favor.

H:  Okay.

A:  Get in the car and drive to your grandparents right now and don't argue.  Plan to spend the night if you have to.

H:  Really?

A:  Yes, I want you to be where you can go into the basement. You and Molly are just too important to me.

H:  What are you going to do?  I want you to come!

A:  I'll stay at the bank where I can go into the vault.

Then, I started scrambling.  I threw everything into bags and a laundry basket.  I just dumped a ton of Molly's clothes, diapers, and toys in a bag, grabbed my camera and a baggy of goldfish crackers and started driving. Grandma wasn't answering her phone, but Mom told me to go anyway and break in if I had to.  Thankfully there was no need to break a window as they got home a few minutes before we got there.

So, we were watching Gary England and his crew cover the Longdale/Canton Lake tornado which went right by my folks' house - they saw it, and it destroyed homes and a church a mile from their home.  They are fine - thankfully, but it was super weird to be watching it on tv.  I was praying outloud for them and my friends in Fairview.

Then, we got nervous for ourselves.   Grandma and Grandpa live in El Reno.  The sirens started wailing, and we took off for the basement.  The huge long track tornado (on the ground for over 70 miles) came right by El Reno, less than two miles from where we were hunkered in the basement listening to Mike Morgan and David Payne yelling on the radio.  We actually couldn't keep Grandpa or Jim in the basement. If it weren't for Molly I would have been up there with them.  Molly was a trooper, and we waited awhile for the "all clear" from Aaron to drive home.

My heart aches for the families all over the state who are suffering loss, but especially for the family who lost their 15 month old son and 3 year old son.  The terror, the tragedy...my mommy heart can't imagine what they are going through.  A good friend of mine was in Piedmont in a cellar with her family, and when she came up, everything was gone.  Her family is fine, but the entire neighborhood is obliterated.

My parents' house is right by Longdale.

 Grandma, Aunt Wanda, and Judy (her friend) in the basement.
Jim and Carolyn Ferris (Grandpa and Grandma's friends) were also down there with us.