I HATE tornadoes.

It's only the fourth day of April and I feel like I'm already emotion-ed out for the month. And there is still so much more to happen.


Yesterday we had tornadoes in DFW. Honestly, I didn't even know there was bad weather coming. I guess that's what happens when you don't have James Spann handy warning you of tornadoes days in advance! One minute I'm working with my classes on their garden projects, and the next I'm being told that the weather is turning ugly and we are about to go into duck and cover.

The bell rang, and the next period was my planning period. They came over the intercom a few minutes later and said to get in duck and cover, so I went down the hallway to my "safe spot" with three other classes. Which equaled 90+ 6th and 7th graders huddled in a room. For two hours.  AGH!

Apparently it got pretty bad. One teacher said she snuck back into her room with a window and watched the tornado come down out of the sky right outside of our school. Apparently the Walmart and movie theater behind us got some damage. I was sitting in the room and got multiple texts from friends saying "Apparently the tornado is headed straight to DFW airport..."... which if you don't know where my school is, it's less than two miles from DFW. I literally watch planes land all day long from my classroom window. (The skies have been kind of empty today... I'm assuming they are still having trouble getting planes in and out?) Anyway, it was good to know where those tornadoes were, but it was also even scarier to know that it was coming right to where I was.

Finally, finally, finally, the bad weather was past us. We dismissed kids at 4:15, 30 minutes after normal time. They left and I went home. I answered multiple phone calls, emails, text messages, tweets, and facebook comments/messages about if I was ok or not. Thank you to all who thought of me! Most of them were my Alabama friends and family-- they understand how tornadoes are not something to be messed with.

It amazes me how people in Texas don't take them seriously. We waited until the sirens went off to duck and cover... Spann would frown on that move! Our "safe spot" is on the second floor... which isn't really safe! My students thought it was a big ol' party. I don't think they seriously understood what could happen. Maybe looking at the pictures of the devastation in surrounding areas will open their eyes to the dangers of tornadoes. I was so frustrated with the fact that they thought it was sooo much fun!

I will say that handling a tornado warning, hearing that the tornado is coming "right for you", is completely different when you are in charge of children. Normally I would have been cowering in a small area on the bottom floor, but yesterday I was ready to dive on top of kids if that was needed. I was scared for them more than I was for myself! I can't even imagine what it's like to have your own kid and worry for them!

I just feel like yesterday afternoon was a very emotional day. I am so thankful that Irving had minor damage and that the tornado didn't affect us. I am praying for the surrounding areas who saw so much devastation. If you are one of the people who contacted me yesterday, thank you for checking on us! I am praying that the rest of the spring remains tornado-less... both here and in my sweet home Alabama.