The storm

Today Brian woke me up and announced that the coffee was ready! I really do have the best husband. Every morning, he gets up, makes the coffee and wakes me up. Today as I was driving into work, it was a little cloudy in Mishawaka, but the closer I got to Goshen, the more beautiful the sun and clouds were. They were calling for rain in the afternoon, but you wouldn't have guessed it from the morning weather. So when I got to work, I parked in the first open spot I saw, not thinking about the rain they were predicting for later. (Brian doesn't think the weather guys should get paid until they get it right). We noticed that it had started raining in the early afternoon, but no one had seen the forecast. I was relieved that the sun had come back out when I was leaving so I didn't have to walk to my Jeep in the rain. I said a little prayer to thank God for the sun and was on my merry way home. I was almost to SR 19 when Anitra called...

"Addi, where are you at?"
"Well, I am almost to SR 19 coming home."
"You need to pull over and stop somewhere! It's really bad out and the tornado sirens are going off at our house!"
"Well, Anitra, what am I supposed to do, I'm ready to get on the bypass now!!"
"Addi! I don't think you should get on the bypass...take Kern Rd."
"Neech - I gotta go!"
"Call me when you get home!"

I am now driving in the worst conditions I have ever driven in. It looks like a sand storm but it is pouring down rain and when I stopped at the stop sign, I was sure that Sadie (my Jeep) and I were going to tip over! I think to myself...as long as it stays like this and doesn't get calm, I will be ok. I am now turning around because Anitra, mother #2 has told me not to take the bypass. The phone rings...

"Hello"
"Hey honey, it's mom, are you home yet?"
"No mom, I am on SR 19, turning around because Anitra told me not to take the bypass."
"Well, they just had a tornado sighting at 31 and Kern Rd."
"Great, that is where Anitra told me to just go...I gotta go mom, I can't talk on the phone and drive in this weather at the same time"
"Be careful...see you, love you, bye"

Ok, so now what do I do? Take Kern? The bypass? Ok, God...please give me a sign of what/where I am supposed to go. I start singing, Praise You in This Storm...as the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain, "I'm with you"

So, I get on the bypass....traffic is literally moving at 25 miles an hour and every single car has on their hazard lights. I think, ok..if I need to, I will just pull over under one of the bridges and hopefully that will offer me some protection. The first one I get to, there are already 3 cars stopped under it on each side of the road. Ok, maybe the next one....too many cars there to count."

In the middle of all of this I get a text from my husband. "I got the mail" Gee thanks honey! He later tells me...I just wanted you to know that you didn't have to stop and get it. I said, that's so thoughtful honey, but in 50-mile an hour winds, I wasn't really thinking of the mail. ha!

I finally get to the Elm Rd. exit and the sun is coming out again. As I drive by Anitra and Seth's I honk and glance at their house to see my sister sitting in the window waving to me. Awww...now as if there hasn't been enough water falling out of the sky, it is now falling from my eyes!

Thank you God for my sisters, mom and my husband who makes me laugh even when I am scared and in the middle of the storm!