I first began writing the following passage somewhere near the beginning of last week. The timing no longer applies, but I hate going to the trouble of writing something and then not posting it, especially when I have so little time to write. I was recapping the craziness that happened during the last week of April and it reads as follows:
“The wheels in my brain are spinning in place, and I feel both mentally and physically exhausted. When we heard that bad weather was heading into the state last Wednesday evening, we packed up and headed to my Mom’s house for the night. I realize that my own humble abode has been in its rightful place for more than thirty years, but the knowledge that there is a basement under my feet provides a better sense of security. The tornado sirens first started going off before the kids ever went to bed. The first storm passed to the north of us, but when we stepped out on the porch to listen to the mournful warning, the air was ominously heavy and still. Shortly after the kids fell asleep on an air mattress in the hall, sirens began sounding once more. This time we all trooped to the basement and lugged mattresses down behind us. I clutched my new Red Cross Emergency Radio and listened to the mono-tone weatherman rattle off details. The lightning flashed incessantly and the air was no longer still. The wind whipped trees around mercilessly, and I snuggled closer to my sleeping baby for comfort. Somewhere around 11:45, I heard the sirens going off for the third time. They started a fourth run around 12:30, and I finally gave into sleep…come what may. Around 2:30, I woke to stillness. The mattress I was laying on had been losing air, and Johnathan and I were very close to sleeping on concrete. We hadn’t blown away and the house was still intact. People to the northwest of us had not fared as well. Ringgold and Trenton were slammed, and Tallapoosa, Alabama was devastated by a tornado with a path a mile wide. That same night, we got a grim call from Johnathan’s mother, telling us that his hospitalized grandfather had taken a turn for the worst. I took off work Friday, and we drove down to Guyton for the weekend. That night we rode to Savannah with Meghan and Stephen and visited Grandpa McGowan on the MIS unit. Tubes, beeping monitors, and glaring lights…it’s a wonder anyone ever manages to get well in such a harsh environment. On Saturday, he was moved to a regular room and we were able to take the kids for a visit.”
My writing stops there. We were amazed by the progress Johnathan’s grandfather made over the course of one day. He was sitting up in bed watching the Royal Wedding, and when dinner came around, he practically cleaned his plate. It was the first meal he had eaten in four days. Seeing a renewed interest in food was an encouraging sign that he was on the upward swing. Grandpa McGowan has since been sent home, and from what I have heard, is doing well. He is on oxygen and is still having a hard time moving around. There will be a definite change in way of life, but Johnathan’s aunts and parents are helping his grandmother care for him over the next few weeks.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and I requested a trip to the Rhododendron Festival in Hiawassee in honor of the occasion. Johnathan spent four hours doing yard work this morning, and I spent four hours cleaning up after children. As soon as their beds were made, my little angels decided that they wanted to “pretend” to take naps. That would never happen if I actually WANTED them to lay down. For every step I took, they took steps in three different directions. For every mess I stopped in its tracks, two more were popping up behind my back. Johnathan is at an Atlanta Symphony concert tonight, so my house is unusually quiet. The kids and I went to Rhonda's house after dinner, and we spent most of our time chasing bubbles with Chelsea. We got home shortly after 8:00, and it took the better part of an hour for me to get all three children in bed. Since then, I have been sitting in solitude, making videos, and thinking less-than-deep thoughts. I think it's time for some warm milk and a good book.
No comments:
Post a Comment