Tornado

Today was a big day for me as a citizen of the Midwest: It was my first tornado drill. I've been through fire drills, bomb threats, and even lock-down drills. Living in the mountains, tornadoes aren't really much of a concern. Visiting my family in Nebraska and South Dakota, the threat of tornadoes always terrified me. I have had frequent dreams about tornadoes for as long as I can remember. Sometimes they're super scary, sometimes they're relaxing. I'm the one who is glued to the TV whenever there's an advisory. The names of the counties in tornado land I've spent time in are as familiar to me as my own (Hamlin, Garfield, Dane, Hennepin). I'm the one who is heading for the basement at the first siren. Luckily I have Pete to temper these extreme tendencies. So today I got to lead a group of freaked out little kids into the girl's bathroom to crouch down and cover their heads. If I were a kid doing that, I would have been sobbing my eyes out. I guess things are different if you grow up with them. It went well, and I think we're all set if there's a tornado. I know that Minnesota severe weather is a part of my life now, and I accept that. I'm just glad our house has a basement :)