After a Tornado

While Daddy and I were enjoying a great date night at Leah's second performance of Cinderella, these cuties were chilling at home. 

There have been all kinds of storms and tornado warnings this spring, but we didn't realize this beast of a storm was heading over from Nebraska and aiming to change our evening plans.  

 It was not a great night for our family to be split up. Just as Cinderella and Prince Charming started dancing at the ball, the play was stopped and everyone was sent down to the wrestling room in the basement of the high school. It was hot and sweaty down there, but we were reunited with Leah and we were able to talk to the babies back at home and track the storm well enough to know that a tornado was touching down in our neighborhood.  And then all we could do was wait. 

As is the case with most storms that roll through Iowa, the worst of it happened somewhere else.  The babies were brave and huddled up in the exercise room until the storm passed.  As soon as we were released from the wrestling room and realized the show would not go on, we headed home.  I drove Leah's car and followed Daddy's truck, but all was well. We had to wait on the hill for the power lines to be cleared from the road, but all was well. 

This information tells me that the tornado was the lowest possible intensity, was only on the ground for 3 minutes, traveled just over a mile, was about the width from home plate to first base on a baseball field, and traveled at 80 miles per hour, which is faster than we ever drive around here, even on the highway.  The map tells me that the tornado was less than 100 yards from our house while my three babies were home alone, tucked into the basement. The blue line path of the tornado cuts right over "Shark Lake" which our house sits right next to. Miraculously, this tornado didn't hurt a single house or person in it's short but destructive path. We can't say the same for the other 23 tornadoes that ripped through the state this night. 

The next day, when the sun was out again, we saw some of the damage that this pesky little storm caused. This is the route of my daily walk with Laney. 

These trees look like they were just pushed over. 

These trees, so lovingly cared for by their owners, are just gone. 

And the bittersweet truth is how beautiful the world always looks after the storm.  We all just carry on because, really, what else can we do?