Tornados

Hi Zach, I am hoping that all the horrible tornado strikes haven't come near southeast Texas. I watch for it on the news and most of the time the storms seem to be further north. The one that hit Moore, OK is particularly tragic. I have seen some photos and videos of the elementary school that was hit hard and it makes me think back to when I was a little girl living in Chicago and we practiced taking shelter for tornadoes regularly. We did have to take shelter in a central hallway for one bad one and we could all see it going by in the far distance. It is very frightening to watch so I am sure it was horrific for the people in Oklahoma that went through it. It's a very strange phenomenon, in the middle of the day the sky can turn very dark and greenish with lightening striking all over the place. It gets very warm and you can feel the electricity in the air so you know it's coming. The wind is voracious and can sound like a monster roaring. You could hear that on a video that one of the teachers in Moore took and everyone was so frightened. If we were home when a warning came, we would run down the street to a friend who had a basement and all congregate there until it was over. A lot of the time there was so much rain that the water would flood the basement, but you didn't dare go up top until the storm had passed. I am very glad I don't live there anymore and feel really bad for the folks that have been affected by this recent bout of storms. Anyway, didn't mean to get on a downer there, but like I said, I just got to thinking about it. Even though we don't see or speak to each other, I still think of you all the time and hope that you are safe, particularly when I hear of things like this happening in the Midwest.

Less than 2 weeks until you graduate now Zachary. I can still remember the first day you started kindergarten and have a picture of you on the porch steps with your back pack. In some ways the time flew by, but it also seems like a lifetime since we have spoken or hugged. I would give anything in the world to have that. I will write again soon, but until then, enjoy the Memorial Day holiday and be safe. I love you more than you will ever know.

Mom
XOX