A not so fun Torando

Within 3 weeks of living in Texas the Tornado Sirens had gone off TWICE! ... and just for the record they are as eerie sounding as you'd imagine them to be! The first was due to a CRAZY storm but it past. The second happen after my mom had left for home and Seth was out of town on business. Worst timing right?!

The kids were in bed and I was down stair watching TV.  It was quite but I noticed HUGE flashes of light coming in from my vaulted bay windows. You think you've seen lightening until you see lightening in the South. It's unreal! It lights up the entire sky and literally 'cracks'. I muted the TV and  looked outside. The sky was already dark but there was a blackness that looked like a blanket that was covering it, the lightening continued and I text one of the very few people that I even had a phone for being so new and asked if there was suppose to be a storm tonight. Being a sweet friend new and knowing I was new to the area and without Seth she called me to let me know there was severe storm warning in effect which she explained the storm can be quite scary but not to panic unless the actual sirens sounded. I responded with a deep breath and said "okay, so unless the sirens go off it's may just be an intense storm coming through" she confirmed and not longer than 10 secs after that while still on the phone... I heard a muffled sound since we inside but nonetheless blaring sound from outside. She immediately said "That's the SIRENS" I froze. She started yelling for her dog to come and told me she was going to talk to her husband and would call me right back. I ran and opened my back door and froze and the was a black calmness in the sky but hearing the sickening sound of actually tornado sirens for the second time in life and 2nd in two weeks. It different this time I could feel. I stood there alone, new and not knowing what exactly to do. My phone rang in my hands and it was sweet friend Kristin saying "Lacey, get your kids and get them to a safe room" I started to ask questions and she just repeated "Lacey, get your kids NOW!" I hung up and starting racing up the stairs, literally skipping every other one. I could not get to them fast enough. Just as I reached the top the rain started. It literally hit with such force I was speechless. The blinds in the playroom on the second level were open and as I past them I saw a storm brewing outside unlike anything I'd ever seen. I raced from room to room ripping my kids from their bed. I couldn't carry all of them so I instructed Aiden firmly to "Follow ME" I got the tiny hallway bathroom downstairs because it had no windows or outside wall and put Shay and Mason down only to realize Aiden was no where to be seen. I ran back up stairs to find out the he infact didn't follow me but turned around and got back in bed. I grabbed him and ran back downstairs. I remember one thing I was told was to make sure I had my phone so I could have access to updates with the news channel and there you could track the storm and if there was one,  the Tornado. The kids had no clue what was going on as I tried to collect my braincells to remember what the news station was here.  Just then a group text consisting of 3 ladies that I had me from church including Kristin from earlier checking in on other of and on me. Tears started to stream down my face. I wasn't alone.  They were aware of me. My mind was racing!  Within minutes of being in the bathroom the hail came, it was so loud and it so hard I don't know how it didn't shatter my windows. It sounded like a zillion army guns were blasting at our home from outside. Between the wind, hail and rain our home literally rattling with sensations that were NOT in the least comforting.  Every few seconds they would update me and confirmed that there was a tornado that had touched ground and was headed our way. I remember thinking there was no way this crap was really happening. I couldn't believe this is where we lived?! I tried to comfort the kids as I sincerely thought I can't even text Seth (it was all happening too fast, I had to watch the weather and keep up it their every few seconds texts that was informing me on the storm and tornado) I remember thinking "he even doesn't know... what if something happens I won't even be able to talk to him and tell him" A text came through that read "it's estimated to hit Keller Haslet in 3 mins" I responded with "where's Keller Haslet?" knowing it sounded really familiar. Melissa wrote back it's right next to you" I realized it was literally the street you turn off of to get to our house... maybe 200 ft away. I read the text, listened to the hail beat against my house as the wind ripped through and I looked at my children and thought "what if my house starts to go? How do I save all 3? What can I do? Do I lay on all of them? How do I fit them all in my arms? I had a fear run through me that I hope to NEVER feel again.  I prayed and prayed and prayed. It did come and touched down by the kids school but didn't do too much damaged.  The text came that it had past, the hail stopped as quick as it had come and the was quite again. It's so eerie! I told the kids to stay put until I checked things out. Our street was completely flooded and their our ginormous size ice balls that was still considered hail on our large. It was crazy! I brought the kids out put them in my room and laid their with them for the rest of the night while crying and plotting my way out of this horrible tornado state!