We here in Texas have just been through the first of the season’s tornadoes. It was spectacular with a lot of damage but  thankfully, no injuries or deaths. If you haven’t already seen it, look on YouTube for the video of semi trailers spinning 200 feet into the air and then being deposited in tree tops. It is truly something from “The Wizard of Oz!”

Gramps and I were glued to the TV, watching the storms march across the counties of north Texas. It made for a very exciting 4 hours. When I saw that our GS’s school was in the line of the storm, I called my daughter to find out if all was well and what her plans were. It seems sweet baby boy had pink eye and was spending the day with his other grandparents and was not in any danger. Big sigh of relief!

When I talked with Gram a few days later, she told me how she had spent that eventful day with our shared little grandboy. She is so loving, so patient and absolutely adores our boy, who is her only grandchild.

Early on, when the warning sirens sounded and they went to their safe room (an inside bathroom with no windows) baby boy was definitely scared and began crying. Everything was loud, confusing and completely out of the ordinary. Gram, in her wisdom, started making a game of gathering items for the safe room. “Let’s get some flashlights.” “Where can we find a radio?” “What kind of snack do we want in our room?” Soon they were having fun running through the house gathering all the treasures to be put in the bathroom in case of a possible emergency.

And several times during the day, the sirens rang out again and they spent time in the bathroom shelter. Gram was there and had made everything okay. The special room became a place filled with interesting things. Baby boy had never seen chairs and pillows in a bathroom or played with a flashlight in the tub or listened to the radio on a bathmat or eaten snacks where he normally brushes his teeth. What a hoot this was!

This time there was no crying and no fear. This time there was laughter and songs and games and the knowledge that everyone was as prepared as possible and best of all – together. And that, after all, is the safest to be.

The day ended well for us, not so well for others. God Bless them all! The lessons to be learned? In times of danger:  1- Gather information.  2- Make a plan.  3- Work with others.  4- Grannies know how to weather storms. Don’t knock experience!  Be strong, my Sweeties!