There's No Place Like Home

Ruby slippers found here: http://sophieduffy.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/ruby-slippers/

This past weekend was a humdinger for weather in some parts of the country. Here in Virginia it was a little rainy but that didn't stop us from having a pretty normal weekend. Not the case where my parents live and also in other parts of the country, where entire cities were destroyed by twisters in Kentucky and Indiana.

We did have a slight mishap in my family. Mom and dad were watching television when the weatherman came over the airwaves and said D.U.C.K. You know what that means, right?

D - Dash to the lowest level in the building

U - Urgently hide your butt under something

C - Cover ye ole noggin

K - Keep yourself put until the storm passes

Mom and dad headed down to the basement but didn't turn on the light. Mom thought she had reached the bottom. Instead, what she anticipated was the floor was actually another step. She tumbled down, hitting her nose on a wheel barrow. 

I didn't actually find this out until later. Robert came home and said he had been watching the news on the Internet and found out tornadoes were sighted near my parents' house. (Side note: Robert likes to keep watch on the happenings where our families live. He even keeps up with his parents in England online.) I immediately called mom. She conveyed her story and told me she hadn't gone to the emergency department. Thankfully, my older sisters talked her into it. She had a broken nose.

I need to call her tonight to find out if she needs to get it reset. Apparently when you break your nose, you have to reset it within seven days or the damage is permanent - who knew!

Even though my mom has a broken nose, I still feel very fortunate. So many families lost their homes and even their loved ones to tornadoes in many states. In fact, Robert and I were watching the news together just last night. There was a picture of a man holding his dog who had been found in the rubble of the man's flattened home. I said, "you know, that could be us." Storms are indiscriminate.

We are thankful for so many things. Our healthy families, our supportive friends, our beautiful homes, our fulfilling lives. And I personally am thankful for being on this adoption journey. I've met so many wonderful people and learned so much about the process of adoption. I definitely feel all of this has made me aware of what I have been given in life and I'm ready to share some of that wealth, culture and love with another.