Extreme Weather

The other day I was talking with Rachel about hurricanes vs. tornadoes. We are both from Illinois, so we can appreciate the negatives of each. Rachel was saying she thinks tornadoes are better because there is no big work up for a week before like there is with a hurricane. And then, with a hurricane, you don't even know for sure how badly it will affect your area. With tornadoes, it comes and it goes. Sometimes in a matter of minutes.

As much as I hate evacuating for hurricanes, I'd have to say I would take a hurricane over a tornado any day. Growing up in the Midwest, I always appreciated thunderstorms. When I was little we had a screened in front porch with a swing where we used to sit with our parents whenever a storm came in.

When I was a freshman in high school a tornado hit the town 5 miles east of us, where several of my friends lived. The tornado knocked down all of the power lines throughout the town so we were unable to reach anyone to find out if they were okay.

Thankfully, none of my friends or their families died or had serious injury. The only death was a semi driver who was on the road. No one we knew, but it was a death nonetheless.

I was absolutely terrified of storms after that tornado hit. Before that it was like a myth. I knew tornadoes affected people. It was all over the Discovery channel. But it had never affected me. After that I realized we were not immune to the extreme weather of the Midwest. Every time a storm rolled in, I was in the closet with all the cats and the remote in hand watching the weather on TV.

Since moving to Texas, I desperately appreciate the advance warning that comes with hurricanes. As laborious as it may be to pack up the lab several times a year, and as painstaking as the process may be of having to decide whether or not we should evacuate, I will take that over a tornado any day.

My mom told me the story of how my dad met her mother, my grandmother. Now that woman had a fear of storms. Every time thunder struck, my mom said her mother could be found in the hallway underneath all the cushions from the couch. And that is exactly how my dad met my grandmother. They got into town and walked into the house, only to find Rose wedged under the couch cushions in the center of the house. She stuck a hand out to greet my dad as he climbed over her to meet her husband (my Grandpa).

I worry about the day when Aiden brings home "The One". If we ever move back to Illinois I fear I may be shaking her hand through couch cushions.