So, late last night we fell into bed completely exhausted from our Sunday. Exhausted. After maybe 40 minutes of sleep, the tornado siren in our neighborhood went off. I woke up, went to the window to take a look outside. I don’t know if I was trying to see if the tornado was in our backyard or over in our neighbor’s yard (?!) but nonetheless, the weather didn’t seem so threatening. The siren went off, didn’t come back on, and I woke Josh up. I told him what was going on, and he said, “Oh, it’ll be alright” and IMMEDIATELY he was snoring again. Immediately. I, like an idiot, figured he was probably right and got back into bed. You might think that was very stupid of me, and I do agree. But I also know that waking up three sleeping children just really goes against all that is in me.
This morning Josh started getting calls as early as 7:13am asking if we were ok! Less than 1/2 a mile down from us there was so much damage from a tornado. Trees down on houses and cars, power out, some homes completely devastated….we slept through this, people. We are idiots.
I just drove through some of the neighborhood that was hit, and I am just amazed at how ridiculous it is that I stayed in bed during such threatening weather. I couldn’t help but say aloud over and over, “Thank you, God.” Seriously. We were protected during this. I am thankful. I don’t know why we slept through that! But this I do know- I will most definitely ALWAYS wake up my kids and deep-sleeping husband and make them all go to the closet next time I hear the sirens! I also know that we are idiots. There is really no other way to put it.
Quick funny story to change your thoughts of our “idiotness”——– I was putting the kids in the car and remembered that I needed to get Lilly’s address for Ruby’s birthday party. I told the girls that I was going to go get the address, and they were to stay in the car. When I got back, Molly was crying, “I WANT TO SEE THE DRESS.” I was confused, “What dress are you talking about?” “The dress that Lilly is going to wear to Ruby’s birthday party. I WANT TO SEE THE DRESS.” She didn’t know what an address was. I explained it meant the location of your house, where you live….she still didn’t quite get it and still wanted to see the dress. Funny.
I never want to be one of those people that “ride out” hurricanes because they have gotten used to the warnings and it ends up being hardly anything. “Better safe than sorry!” is a better policy. I didn’t want to wake ours up either; turns out they didn’t wake up even though we moved them 2 flights down to the basement. I just held Landon and he slept the whole time! Anna told me this morning that she had a dream last night that she went down to Grandmas house and slept in the bed down there! She didn’t realize we actually did do that for an hour last night!
Well, I guess the Koesters get to join the idiot club. We, too, were exhausted and just slept right through it. I didn’t even bother to look out the window to see how bad it was…I didn’t even say a word. I think we both took mutual silence to be the agreement that nobody was moving. Proof that the Lord protects children and idiots.
Kristy, you know how Josh is when he sleeps. Don’t listen to him when he first wakes up!! I’m glad the family was safe. Next time you just get those babies to the basement. You will have a basement the next time bad weather comes.
omg! kristy!! i’m so glad ya’ll are okay! thank the good Lord above! love ya’ll!!!
Don’t feel bad. I have done something much more egregious. When Ella was just a baby, I had the most difficult time getting her to sleep when Deidre was at work at the hospital. The only place she would sleep was in her swing, which was located right in front of our very old and thin living room window. One Saturday night in March, 2006, Deidre was at work, and Ella and I had assumed our positions (She in her swing and me on the couch). Imagine my surprise when Deidre came in the next morning, crying hysterically, telling me about a horrible tornado that had devastated parts of our neighborhood. They had closed our street down, if that gives you any indication of how bad it was. Apparently, Annie, Ella, and I slept through the whole thing. Father of the Year, right here!
Wow…I had no idea there was so much damage! We too are idiots-I did NOT want to wake my kids after a huge Sunday we were all exhausted and I was praying not to go into labor. We should start a club. I even watched storm stories the night before- Praise God he protected all of us!
For my entire married life, I could never get Shane to get up to “seek shelter” during a tornado. After being hit by that one last year, all I had to say on Sunday night was “I hear a siren!” He was up, got all the kids and we stayed in the basement until it blew over. Going through one makes you really realize how powerful they are. I am so glad you all were safe and that the Lord protected you from any harm. He is faithful! Love you guys!