May, 2008

Greetings from Windsor, CO

There are many of you that I have spoken with in the last few days.  If you have not heard, our little town was struck y a tornado  that was 1 mile wide and was on the ground for 7 miles.  It was the last day of school for our town.

The devastation is awful. I hav enever seen anything like this and I hope you never have or never will.

I was going to lunch with scott and Chris (who attend different schools that are basically side by side) when I got a text message that there was a tornado warning.  I immediately called Scotts school.  The entire school was out walking around Windsor lake.  The children back into school when the hail started.  I was eating with Chris when the hail became golf ball size and they ordered a tornado drill.  There were 40 kids and 5 adults in my group who went into the girls bathroom.  We were all trying to stay calm.  The fear in the adults eyes was awful.  When the noise really started, we began singing.  I held Chris' hand his freinds hand and a little boy who was crying.  The noise was unreal.  It was like boulders hitting the roof.  The power went out and there we sang  "the Star Spangled Banner) We all had our cell phones open for light.  The noise would stop and then return..

The tornado ripped through town two blocks from Scott and Chris' schools. When the noise became less, I went outside with some other teachers. A huge pine tree in front of the school had been ripped from the ground.  I walked around the corner to look at my car.  The sunroof was completely shattered. glass was all over the car, and the hailstones had pockmarked the car to the tune of $5600 of damage. 

I went back into school to Chris.  He looked up at me and said "Mom,that was real"  I just held him and cried.  A this point the temperature of that small bathroom was 90.  We were forced to exit to the hall so no one would pass out

My neighbor caled to tell us that we had windows broken at the house.  We were safe but I needed to be wih Scott.  When we finally were able to leave Chris' school, the wind outside was still awful.. We drove to Scott's school where the children were clustered in the gym.  Finally we heard "Mom" and the three of us hugged and then the teachers joined in the hugfest.

We eventually left this school and found enormous puddles, the wind still strong and trees blown down everywhere.  I kept saying to the boys, "we have got to get home."

The worst areas just opened to the public.  I have gotten close twice . . . and twice gotten sick.  I cannnot grasp how we all lived.  From Thursday afternoon until Friday night at midnight we ha no power.  Whe it came back on, life started getting more normal.

Many of you have called and want to talk about things..I will get there soon.  The boys are OK.  Scott asks every night if there is any wind outside.  We had our kitchen window shattered and the outside pane of my bedroom window, along with minor damage to screens and window sills.   The neighbors say that the roofs are all going to need to be replaced.

Thank God we have insurance and that we are lucky and spared from entire loss.  I know that life will get back to normal in  while. The ice dropin the freezer and I jump out of my skin. We are so lucky, and fortunate in so many, many ways.

Thank you for your cals and support.

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