Last weekend, we had gloriously warm temperatures. Every day for a few days in a row, the mercury rose higher and higher, until it was resting comfortably spring-like in the middle of the 60s. I was down in my office, busy cleaning and organizing. I had packed Hannah off to a friend's house for the morning, and found my boys underfoot and full of the cabin fever.
When they approached and asked to play the bloody Xbox yet again, I told them in no uncertain terms that they were to go outside. I demanded that they get out there and enjoy the warmth while it lasted.
Their shoulders fell, as all technology-deprived children's do, and they started to head upstairs and outside. Just then, the tornado sirens went off. Having been out earlier in blue skies and sunshine, I told them it was probably just a drill and to GET. OUTSIDE. NOW. before I put them to work.
Or killed them.
Or both.
After about a minute, Chase came back in and asked if they could set their tent up in the backyard. Yes, fine, whatever. JUST GO PLAY.
About 20 minutes later, the tornado sirens went off again. I looked out the window and noticed the sky was now an eerie green color. Fearing it was NOT actually a drill, I went in search of the boys.
Their poor tent was being ravaged by the wind, and the rain pounded them from above. Were they not holding it down inside with their weight, I am confident some family in Indiana would now be the proud owners of a red two-man tent.
I immediately called them inside, and gave myself a few lashes with the belt made entirely out of guilt. You know that belt. We mothers all have one.
Come to find out, there was indeed a tornado. And it touched down only two miles from our home. And killed, oh, six people or so. Why, yes, child protective services, I made my children go play in it. Was that bad?
I'm thinking this story will be an excellent anecdote in my Mother of the Year speech. Don't you?
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21 comments:
Oh I love they way you tell your stories! You know all of us Mothers would have done the same thing. I'm glad that you survived the crazy tornado and that the boys didn't get blown away.
At least they got some fresh air...
I think there will be a tie in that whole mother-of-the-year thing. I can not believe they haven't called me yet.
And, tornado sirens and the before-the-tornado-sky is totally creepy.
Thanks for making me laugh and feel better about my less-than-perfect mothering moments. :)
You have such a way with words - it's amazing! And you are an amazing mother, too! Thanks for sharing!
This is wonderful! All of a sudden I feel much better about my own parenting skills- ha ha.
We all have *those* MOTY stories. I can hear them telling their friends now...I bet they thought it was pretty cool. What a story they have to tell when they have kids.
So glad someone else is in the running for MOTY award :) No harm no foul right??
Go play in the tornado! That's hilarious. I wish there was an XBOX game where you could play in a tornado.
I would TOTALLY do the same thing.
Just think of the memories they made. They'll be telling that story for Years, Stie. Years. :)
LFREAKINGOL!!!!! That is a good one!
I spit on my son last summer...on purpose....Shaylee told me Sawyer hit her and I didn't hear her correctly-I thought she said he spit on her so I spit on him-ya-felt like mother of the year, too! haha Oh well....worse things, right?
Best story I've heard so far this year. I love to hear other mom's share their proudest moments. Thanks for keeping it so real.
No worries, I will still give you the Mother Of The Year award.
And then, while celebrating, we can send all our children out to play in a hurricane. :)
No surprise here. You never were a good mom.
You remind me of Glinda. She's the good one, right?
I'm thinking it will make for an excellent anecdote from your child's therapy couch.
p.s. A good therapist needs to be a mother. Period.
At least Chase wasn't making a 'Storm Chase' video. Get it? Storm Chase? I am a satirist and it didn't occur to me.
May the House of Seven Gables always remember you.
Ah, nuts. Foiled. I intended to make a comment about how it would have been the perfect footage for Chase's Survivorman series, but I was a little slow on the draw. Next time...
You are the greatest story teller! I mean that!
Yeah, I do have that same guilt belt. I am thinking of having mine bedazzled. It will hurt even more when I beat myself with it.
I laughed at Annemarie's comment of, "At least they got some fresh air..." She's a thinker, that one.
Holy cow, Stie! I'm so glad nobody blew away...although I would have loved it if they had landed in Arizona.
OH. MY. FUNNY.
I am still chuckling.
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