As luck would have it...

"I am what I am and, you know, I'm a very lucky guy."
-Michael Bloomberg

What a crazy afternoon! The power went out at school, and was out for about 45 minutes. Luckily, it was my planning period, and I had no kids around. And, then to round things out, just as the buses were being loaded, we went into an official tornado warning. I grabbed about ten sixth graders who were leaving for the bus and had them crouched in the stairwell. They were scared, but luckily we only had to be there for 30 minutes.

Afterward, the teachers who were close to the weather radio were talking about how a tornado had been located at the intersection nearest to our neighborhood. And, then had been spotted on the street behind our neighborhood. Of course, I panicked a little bit, but thought even if half my house is gone, it's already been raining for half an hour... better not rush off too quickly.

As I drove through the pelting rain, all traffic was being rerouted around our neighborhood, and I had to ask a police officer to let me through. As I drove through the subdivision, I couldn't really see any damage in the dark. Luckily, I arrived to find our house was fine, and the power was even on!

But when I searched for the local news, I was unnerved again, just seeing how close it really came. The neighborhood right next to ours was hit pretty hard. Just across the field. Not 2500 ft away.

We are so lucky. And, I'm not taking that for granted tonight!