Man, oh man! We’re under a tornado warning until 3pm and a tornado watch until 9pm. We don’t, however, have time for any of this! All three of my kids have plans this afternoon/evening and this just won’t do! Here’s the blurb from the school district website:

STUDENTS BEING HELD IN SAFE AREAS
After the Tornado Warning is lifted, parents may check children out. However, buses may still be held based on the anticipated time before more severe weather may be in the immediate area.

School will not be dismissed on time, but will be dismissed as quickly as possible this afternoon.

They are not even coming home at the regular time, because, of the scary, creepy weather. I suppose there could have been news of this hours ago, and maybe even a day or so ago, but, I had no idea! To me, it was just a regular ol’ day! And then POOF! come 2:00pm, a mere fifty minutes before expecting my first delivery of monsters, there were all the icky warnings! I hate that, hate that, hate that! I want my kids home with me, for number one, when it is storming badly! And also, I got nervous they were gonna be on their buses. And if they aren’t getting on their buses, when are they going to get on their buses??

And worst of all…

…Sammie’s plans for the afternoon are to have two girls (sisters) over to play with her. They are supposed to ride Sammie’s bus home with her. And they have never before been to my house. And their mother and I have never been ‘formally’ introduced. We’ve seen each other at school functions, but, never had the chance to talk. If I was their mother, I would be a nervous wreck right now. But, I’m a nervous Nelly, I suppose. Ok, I am. But let me tell you, when tornadoes kick up, I want all my children WITH ME, cuddled up in my arms, not getting on a different bus to go to another child’s house, whom I’ve never met before. Her parents are both doctors, and are probably very busy with work, and that will keep them occupied if they have any of my nervous Nellie qualities.

I know for a fact, the schools will not release the children until it is deemed safe to do so. And I know for a fact, that I will take care of any of the children who come my way, calling their parents the instant they arrive. So everything is all good – just a little nerve-wracking.

Patrick had plans to go home with his friend on the friend’s bus – to an empty house. The friend’s mother doesn’t arrive home until about thirty minutes after they get home. Eeks. He does, however, have his cell phone – I’ll call it as soon as it is late enough that he won’t get in trouble for having it with him. Hmm…not sure when that will be, really. I may need to wait a while for that – I don’t like that. But if he gets it taken up for the rest of the year, I’ll lose my ability to contact the children when they’re away from me for two months. Urgh.

Shawn has plans to go to his cast party, at a local restaurant, from 5pm to 8 or 9pm. That is not good. Not good at all. Oh yeah, and Patrick and his friend had plans to go rollerskating tonight – which usually means they are out until 10pm. I already called the friend’s mom and let her know that was making me uncomfortable, and she agreed. She’s ‘cool’, so I know they’ll listen to her more. At least, Patrick will. Heh.

Ok, so more tornado chaos in our little town. Garsh. In a month’s time, they have had late arrival twice and now late dismissal for tornadoes! I thought it was bad in Dallas – geez! Actually, I always had heard that Texas and Alabama’s tornado activity was comparable. I beg to differ. You could maybe compare South Texas, out in the country – where my brother and his wife lived. But it is way worse out here than it was in Dallas, that’s for sure! Thank goodness I have a cinderblock basement to hide in!!