What a Horrible Night

Last night was just HORIBBLE!

It actually started around 2:00 pm when the schools announce that a treterous storm bringing tornados was headed our way.  They said it would be arriving sooner than expected.  Everyone was concerned it would hit before school got out, but that wasn't the case.

For me when I hear news like that I immediately think of Devon driving in those conditions.  Luckily for us the weather was fine - just very gusty winds at 20 mph.

I stopped at Kroger to get milk and groceries so we'd be stocked up.  I cooked a wonderful steak, corn, rolls, caesar salad dinner with ice cream for dessert.   We had family prayer right after dinner because Devon had loads of homework.



I was so tired I fell asleep from 7:30 - 9:00 pm.  Unheard of!!!  Well, the storm still hadn't come but I took the precautions to bring in Robert's soccer net (with his help) and stack the patio chairs, trim the dead flowers (has nothing to do with preparing for the storm - it just took a lot of time).

After getting a nap, I was now wide awake.  Weird!  I got the kids (except Devon) to bed by 10:00 but worried if I should have had Marissa go to sleep in the basement.  I checked all the windows and checked the weather report.  The storm is expected to hit right in the middle of the night - 3:00 - 4:00 am.  UGH!  We will all be asleep.  How will we know.

Finally Devon went to sleep around midnight … I couldn't sleep until after 1:00 am UGH!  Then I was up at 2:00 again - just checking the weather and kids.  At 3:00 am Devon's phone alarm went off (UGH Devon!).  Now I couldn't get to sleep out of anticipation for the storm.  You could hear the wind howl  and the rain pounding on the house.  Water was coming in through the front windows (Jessica's, and the office's).  At 4:00 am the storm was here in full force so I had to wake the kids and move them to the basement.  We slept (laid awake) down their for one hour before the kids were allowed to go back to their beds.  Marissa decided to stay downstairs while Devon went back up to bed.  Robert never came out of his room (since he sleeps in the basement).  I went back to bed, but again 6:00 am came so early.  I decided to let Devon sleep in and Marissa too.  At 6:50 I woke them to get ready for school. Marissa was furious that I let her sleep in.  She didn't want to miss seminary.  Luckily she was able to get ready with Devon and they left around 7:24 am.  Alex came over and together Robert and Alex caught the bus at 7:40.

Terrifying Storm

Last night a terrifyingly dangerous and huge storm came through the "Louisville and beyond" area.  It was a massive wall of intense severe thunderstorms with tornado conditions.  Around 11:00 pm I started watching the new.

From the time I got home from Robert's game - after prayers and cleaning up, I cleared off the deck of chairs, the umbrella and the grill.  Then I prepared the windows and the front door with support, and towels.  I got all the lanterns out in case there was power loss.  I cleaned up any loose papers, books, etc in the family room in case the wind broke the windows… and then I waited for the storm to come.

The storm came in from St. Louis - due West.  It was taking down trees, roofs, power lines, etc.  I wanted to be prepared if it came through our area and did the same.

At 12:20 the storms hit Louisville with TORNADO WARNINGS, at 12:30 I moved the kids to the basement.  Winds from the storm were recorded at 65 mph - Robert, of course, was already there since his room is in the basement.  Devon was the first to go down.  He camped out on the large couch, Marissa was the second to decent - she took the little couch, Jessica was tough to rouse but she eventually went down and slept on the top bunk in Robert's room.  After the TORNADO WARNING had passed at 1:15 am, I woke each asking if they wanted to go back to their real bed.   Jessica, "no" (very groggy), Marissa "no,no,no", and Devon "no"!  It unanimous.  They slept the rest of the night in the basement.

They were so cute - Robert didn't even know there was a storm, Jessica didn't remember me waking her up 2 times (6:05, 6:25) - needless to say they were a little late to seminary, Devon and Marissa didn't remember me asking them if they wanted to go back to their own beds.  Jessica on Robert's top bunk, Devon on one coach and Marissa on the other.  After 1:15 I slept in my bed like a baby!  

Watching the storm come through on the radar it looked like Prospect was spared the worst of it.  There were burgundy spots on us but only for a short time.   The Lord was most assuredly watching out for us.

After the storm Louisville was hit with the worst flooding in a long time (longer than I've been here).  Here are some photos to show the devastating flooding in the area.

someone's front yard

the overflow of a river

more overflow:  the river is actually up at the yellow sign, all this water should be land

I drive this road to take Robert to soccer practice.
It's called River Road because it parallels the Ohio River

Houses along River Road are under at least one foot of water