Where the Boys Are

Today was one of those days when all I wanted to do was stay home, snuggle with Ollie and our house guest Maxie (Brad's dog) and drink hot tea. It was one of those days when I kind of sort of wished I wasn't so ethical when it comes to taking sick days from work ... okay, okay ... I wished a whole lot that I could fake a cough or claim a headache, call in and say I was sick, and not be torn apart by mountains of guilt so intense that I would end up telling my boss I wasn't really sick after all and offering to use a vacation day instead of a sick day. Don't even tell me you haven't felt the same way at least once in your life ... don't even. My job had absolutely nothing to do with me wanting to stay home today, by the way ... it was simply a Monday that arrived too quickly on the heels of a busy weekend and I just wanted to sleep in and laze around the house all day in my favorite jambos. But being the honorable person I am, I dragged myself out of bed and went to work anyway. 

Perhaps another part of why I didn't want to leave my house today was because the weather guys have been saying for the past two days that storms would be erupting in our area this afternoon ... okay, okay ... that was a big part of the reason why I wanted to stay home. If you've been reading along with me for any length of time at all, you know I feel about stormy weather ... I do not like it one bit. While we've had some nasty storms in and around KC, the last time I remember the tornado sirens sounding in my neighborhood was on May 6, 2012. The reason I remember the specific date is because it was the day we had a going-away party for Matt, Becca and Coraline before they moved to Canada. The party was great ... the total meltdown I had following the party when the sirens began blaring wasn't so great. Today ended the 3-year dry spell of tornado sirens for me ... there were tornado warnings issued not only for the county where my office is located but for the county where my house sits as well. Not kidding ... tornado sirens were blaring all across Kansas City late this afternoon. Thankfully, I haven't heard of any injuries ... lots of damage and flooding around town, but as far as I know, no one got hurt.

I watched the radar all afternoon at my desk ... yes, I can edit and watch radar at the same time ... and did my civic duty by keeping everyone within earshot informed as to where the watches and warnings were. What I really mean is that everyone around me could hear me proclaiming over and over again, "I don't like this ... I don't like this at all ... I really, really, really don't like this," and they most certainly could sense my anxiety level climbing higher and higher as the sky grew darker and darker. It was only a few minutes after I saw that the area where I live was under a tornado warning ... and yes, I was freaking out worrying about Ollie and Max and my home ... when I thought I heard the sirens sounding outside of our office. I asked the gal who sits next to me if that was the sirens I was hearing and she assured me that it wasn't ... she was wrong. When I confirmed with someone else that it was indeed the tornado sirens I was hearing, it took me less than a minute to gather my things, throw on my backpack and head for the back stairwell where I was greeted by several of my co-workers who unbeknownst to me are wusses just like me when it comes to storms. Uh ... I meant to say several of my co-workers who, like me, have a healthy respect for those blaring horns ... nah ... pretty sure they were almost as scared as I was. And so you know, I refuse to answer any questions as to whether I may or may not have been the last one to leave the stairwell.

It shouldn't have surprised me when, in the midst of the storm, my phone rang and I saw that it was my son Brad. The first thing he said when I answered the phone was, "Mom, I'm calling to make sure you're okay. Shelby said there are bad storms there and the sirens are going off, and I know how scared you get ... are you okay, Mom?" I blinked back tears as I told my sweet middle kiddo that I was still at the office and that my buddies Brent, Danny and Yosef were taking extra good care of me ... in fact, Yosef stayed right by my side and even shared his Veggie Straws with me until the worst of the storm had passed and I was finally able to head home. I'm not sure which made it harder to see the road as I drove home tonight, the driving rain or the tears that filled my eyes as I thought about how very blessed I am to have people in my life who love and care so deeply about me. People who love me enough to put up with all my crazy quirks and irrational fears ... people who love me enough to call and text just to make sure I'm okay ... people who love me enough to stay by my side when the skies darken and the sirens warn of danger nearby. I am blessed, friends ... so very, very blessed to have people in my life who love me enough not to give up on me or let me give up on myself.

By the way ... if the weather gets bad while I'm at the office and you're looking for me, I'll be where the boys are ... you can bet your last cent I'll be where the boys are.