Tornado Weekend

Let me preface this weekend recap by saying that 9 months into this first year of anesthesia school I have totally over dosed on my kids. I am completely drained from my efforts to provide for their endless needs this year while coping with some serious stress and not enough help. (Just 18 days away now!)

Tyrone's rotation this week was the evening shift from 3-11. That meant on Thursday I picked up the boys, came home for a brief snack, took Taye to swim, back tracked a few miles to take Jaxon to soccer, left Jaxon there in capable hands to go pick up Taye, then back to soccer to wrap up, then home for supper and bed - which is still a major process even with two bigs boys. (No one likes the same books any more.)

Friday afternoon and eve I also had all the kids. Saturday morning I was running by myself and took Jaxon with (on his bike) so Tyrone could study in peace (take one boy out of the equation and all is well). That gave me 8 miles of listening to Jaxon talk. Then I came home, tidied up, provided lunch, and said goodbye to Tryone as he headed out to his evening shift.

The storms started not much later and we curled up on the couch to watch the weather. About the time the forecasters were getting hysterical and the screen was covered in red everything went dark. We watched the storm go past and it was crazy but not enough to make us hide in a closet.

We pulled the grill in under the eaves on the back porch so we could cook hamburgers in the pouring rain, and made instant chocolate pudding for dessert - no power needed.

After supper the sky cleared and we went for a walk down the golf course with some friends. It was clean and shiny and beautiful out.

We came home and the kids showered and got ready for bed with candles and flashlights.

Tyrone came home shortly after 11. Drove down our dark street, pulled into our dark driveway, opened his car door to get out and the whole house lit up. He walked in - warmed up his supper in the microwave and settled on the couch to watch the news.

Sunday afternoon I helped my kids and some neighbors dye eggs, blow them out and decorate them. That was a party. Then I took them for a walk down to the lake.

Sunday eve we went on a quick ride to see the storm damage. Two miles from my house it looks like a war zone, dozens of trees crashed through houses, huge trees snapped in half, insulation all over from a metal roof that was ripped off a warehouse, and powerlines littering the road. The storm came right off the belt line exit I use, up the road I head home on, skipped over our neighborhood and then hit to the North of us again. See more here and here.

I feel lucky that my house and family are okay, but sad for those who have a big mess to dig out.

(And yes, all my weekend childcare gave Tyrone enough time to study so that he rocked his test on Monday. Just four more to go for the semester!)