4/02/2006

Enough for My Nerves

My nerves are freakin' shot!

So, tonight's the first night of rehearsal with no CD backup with the choir. We took like an hour to move instruments and wires and get a sound person there (small detail somebody forgot...oops!) We were all shocked to get through the first two songs with remote success. We were astounded we stayed together at all and it worked. Voices are strong, trumpets are blasting, Jesus is about to return to the sound of great Jubiliee from well rehearsed voices.

Then sirens in town start wailing, cell phones start ringing, there's a tornado spotted 20 minutes away in a storm moving 70 miles an hour. No prob. I'll just stay here with the crowd.

And, wait, my man's on the road...in the storm, in it's path. And wait, my kids are...oh my gosh! At McDonalds, glassed-in all around with their 75 year old grandparents. Cell phone systems...down. Can't get the restaurant or my friend who manages there.

And...for Praise, Granddad kept his cell on! They are "staying away from windows" (good...good. but how is that possible, the thing is encircled. They will stay there.)

So, calls, husband is coming home, in front of the storm, outrunning it, his plan is to go (kids, or home, or church where I am? He thinks he'll....phone cuts out.)

Time for group prayer.

My cell phone rings.

My son says they are locking the restaurant, so they are leaving, two minutes left in the warning, with another tornado spotted 10 minutes away.


Group is quiet, circled up, deadly quiet in prayer mode already, waiting on my call to finish.

"No. No! Son. Do not leave. Do not leave. Go downstairs with the everybody else, okay? (he repeats to grandparents my request). Grandma can get behind the counter if she doesn't want to do the stairs. Stay there. All of you stay together. Stay with somebody you know. Be good. Stay together. I love you!"

"Okay mom. (Mom says to stay). Okay. Bye."


Message relayed. They are safe. Safe. Whew.

Husband makes it there. Everyone safe. Storm passes.

I am home, they, on their way.

Now...Doorbell? Family home? Why the FRONT door? Why not the garage?

I missed the HUGE bradford pear that is now no more in the front yard. No structural damage. My favorite tree on this place...but, given all, I can handle the loss of a tree.

Whew. Now, for more local weather and more storms to wash through tonight.

No comments: