There's no place like home! especially in a tornado!

I have lived in Oklahoma all of my life except for the two years I lived in Utah...I call those the lost years! :) Now living here my whole life you would think that I would have seen my fair share of tornadoes. I have on tv and driving through the destruction afterwards and the one that went over my house back in the 80's. I have never been thru one though. That is until Wednesday the 7th of May. I had finished my day at work and was getting ready to leave the store when I heard the emergency sound come over the radio. Dad and I looked at each other and went over to the tv. There was the "famous" Gary England announcing a tornado warning for Oklahoma county. The tornado was in Bethany and was heading for Nichols Hills. (where the store is) Dad told me to get in my car and get as far north as possible. I ran to my car in the pouring down rain and sped to get on the Broadway Extension. On this day, however, the highway was not a highway it was more of a parking lot with a river running through it. I never got over 15 mph and the rain was coming down so hard that my windshield wipers didn't stand a chance. I finally got to the turnpike and the traffic had cleared a bit and so I was speeding to try and get home. I had been listening to the radio to try and keep an eye on where the storm was. As I was traveling on the turnpike I hear "There is a confirmed tornado near Quail Springs Mall (about 3 miles from where I was) if you are on the Kilpatrick Turnpike you need to exit!" I was trying to hurry as fast as I could and I called Donnie and said I am going to try and at least get to my parent's house. Which was only about 1 1/2 miles from where I was. I quickly exited the turnpike and got stopped at traffic at an intersection (Memorial and Western for those of you that live here). As I was waiting for the light to turn green and my heart to quit pounding so hard! I looked out my driver's side window to see a tornado rip a gasoline stations signs out. The signs blew and hit my window and blew over my car and hit the other side of the car. A road sign was ripped out of the ground. The sign blew one way and the pole that held the sign blew towards me hitting my car in the front causing a dent and a small patch of paint to be chipped away. The only thing I could think about was Gary England saying "the worst place for you to be during a tornado is in your car". I didn't know what to do though. I looked around and there were people running into the gas stations on both sides of the street. The light turned green and I just slammed on the gas and was probably going 80 mph in a 45, but there was no one else on the street. I turned into my parents neighborhood and ran every stop sign to get to my parents home. I have never been so glad to be "home" in my whole life! My mom was waiting for me and we ran and got into the closet. I kept trying to call Donnie to make sure he and Blake had made it home but all the lines were either down or busy. When I finally got hold of him, he said it took him forever to get home because the rain was so bad. (crazy for a boy from Seattle!) I was just so glad that my family was safe. My dad had stayed at the store waiting for a client. He was safe though. I know that someone was watching over me that day because the day after it happened I heard that an SUV that was across the street from where I was, was lifted up into the air and flipped. That could have so easily been me and my unborn daughter. The trees were broken all around me and I am so glad that the only thing that happened were a few dents in my car! I will never look at tornadoes the same again!

The trees with their tops ripped off from the tornado where I was.

The gas station where the signs used to be.

The Circle K sign that flew and hit my car.

Right after the storm, Donnie drove me back to the intersection so I could see the destruction. Look at all the debris... and the channel 9 news crew!

Happy Valley!

Blake and I had the opportunity to go to Utah to see Regan graduate from BYU with her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. I was a little nervous to be traveling without Donnie, but it turned out ok because my parents came too. Blake was so good on the plane and the captain even invited him to sit in the "captain's" chair and fly the plane.


It was fun having Sondra with us. She helped to entertain Blake and it was so sweet of her to come and support Regan. Blake loved her! He kept saying "Sondra is funny!" Regan's graduation was shorter than I expected and she was the third to walk across the stage. Which helped with Blake because he had had enough by that point!

We also had the wonderful opportunity to see family and friends like Rich and Nathlie Cavin, The Frantz', The Harline's, The Mohlman's, The Hansen's, The Close's, and The Hinckley's. Clark and Kathy Hinckley had us over for a wonderful dinner Sunday night so we could see the all the people in our extended family. It was so great to see them and it actually made me miss living in Utah...just for that reason though! :) Blake was so cute with all of them and wanted to give hugs and kisses. He is such a sweet boy!

COUSINS!!! Brad, Chase, Kacey, Me, Regan, Blake and Aspen!

This was one of the funniest things that happened while we were gone. Blake and I had gone over to visit Donnie's sister Michelle and her family. Blake fit right in playing with his cousins and following them around. At one point, Michelle and I couldn't find Blake and her daughter Olivia who is 18 months older than Blake. They had locked themselves in the bathroom and they were brushing their teeth. Blake was using his cousin Luke's toothbrush. Only my child! :

Blake loved this rug that the Hinckley's had. It was made for President Hinckley after he came out with his "6 Be's". Blake loved feeling the bees and even kept bending down giving them kisses.

Blake giving Grammy kisses! She loved him and he loved her!

Our Grammy

I think the very best part of the trip was the chance that it gave Blake and I to bond! I don't think we have truly bonded since he was born. I think I relied to heavily on Donnie since he worked from home and Blake always preferred to go to Donnie and so it didn't give us a chance to form that strong mother /son bond. We stayed in a hotel together just the two of us and I had brought his pack and play because I didn't know if he would sleep in a big bed. But he wanted to. He would say "sleep with mommy in her bed." I of course was not about to say no! It was so cute because he would climb up on the bed and bring his books. We would read a few books and then we would turn out the light and go to sleep. In the morning he would get really close to my face and say "Good Morning Mommy!". It was an awesome experience and I am so glad that I had it! Especially before the new baby is born. Now at night he has started sleeping in his big boy bed (pics coming soon!) and he wants me to come and lay with him and read him a book before he goes to sleep! That was the best part of my trip! It is funny that it took us flying across the country for this to happen, but I needed to rely on him and he needed to rely on me. I thank my father in heaven for this opportunity to strengthen our relationship!

"So Cute!"

I am really very tired after a long day at church and primary, but I have to tell the funniest story! Yesterday, I couldn't find Blake and when I did find him he was in the baby's closet going through the clothes that I just bought while I was in Utah. He would take the little dress out and say "so cute!" I was laughing so hard. I think he learned this from me when my friend Jen was over and we were going through everything. I think he heard both of us saying that the things were "so cute!" I love him! He makes me laugh and smile everyday! I promise there is more to come and pictures to publish...just not tonight! :)