one dark morning

Even though I was using an umbrella for my short walk from the car to the office the rain soaked me. The sky was dark, the clouds were thick and our walkways began to flood. My shoes got wet and stayed wet for the entire day. I was the first teacher to arrive, walking in with the secretary. She said someone had just called and said something about a tornado. We got inside and check out weather.com:

Tornado Warning for 70128 (our exact zip code!)
Will be overhead at 7:05, moving across the area until 7:30 (it was currently 6:55)

And the best part of it all this is the advice that came next inthe report...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

Now first of all a basement? Really? So we can drown in the flood waters? Nobody has basements here. So we are standing in the "office" with windows all around and certainly wihtout any sturdy furniture. We are on the lowest floor, but our entire school just happens to be a trailer park...was "lie flat in the nearest ditch or other low spot and cover your head with your hands" really our best option? It was funny at first read, but then I started getting a little freaked out.

Once the rain gave up I headed back to my classroom feeling a bit better since the rain stopped I thought we were good to go. Just as soon as I got into my room by myself the wind roared and the rain began to pound down again. I informed the other teacher in my building that I wasn't going to die in building 6 and started to head out of there. Apparently everyone thought it was funny how nervous I was with tears in my eyes, but then again these are the same people who have told me they have never visited the west coast before because of earthquakes...

In the end, we were just left with one breathtaking rainbow to remind me that no matter how rough the storm may be, I will make it through.