May 25th, 2011

It was one of those days where I was scared to let my feet out of bed knowing full well they were going to have to be active and productive feet for the next 16 hours.  I woke at 5:30 am and started serious house work and packing.  We were leaving that night around 9 pm for New Orleans with Markham, Dennis, Dennis’ friend Scott, and Scott’s girlfriend Erica.  The plan was to drive through the night arriving in New Orleans 8 am for a fun filled Memorial Day weekend with 7 other friends too.  I had the house clean, laundry done, bags packed by the time the girls woke up.  When they woke up I took them downstairs for breakfast and normal routine.  On the kitchen table I was greeted by

an early and generous birthday present!  I was shocked and super excited!!  I’ve been dreaming of a DSLR, but figured it would be on our 2012 or 2013 list.  I had to put it in the other room to make sure I got Lauren on the bus on time and didn’t distract myself while getting lost in new camera instruction manual land.  Once Lauren was off to school, I called Beth to get me started on proper battery charging and such.  I can’t wait to test drive this puppy!

The morning went on as planned, YMCA, errands, getting Lauren off the school bus, etc.  Things were checking off my list at the appropriate speed to get ‘er all done.  Then mother nature and her need to mess with Missouri happened.

So this is where the girls and I spent almost 2.5 hours following the instructions of St. Louis meteorologists and possible tornado touchdowns.  Since New Year’s Eve Missouri has suffered 3 Mother-Nature-ain’t-playin’ tragic tornados, so I take those sirens and warnings seriously.   Therefore, we take up shop here.

Meet the secret step child of our home.  The room we put lots of crap in storage room.  I try to close my eyes when entering this room.  It houses our donation pile, consignment sale pile, holiday decorations, gifts to be given, crafts to be done, and the stuff society rules won’t let you depart with but have no purpose.  Stuff like Trent’s Boy Scout stuff, my wedding dress, Trent’s Marine stuff, our Fraternity and Sorority Paddles, notes from my bff in high school, and general items proving our past accomplishments, relationships, and education.  I know Lauren and Sydney are not going to wear my wedding dress, it’s already slightly out of style and preserved in a box where you can’t open it for fear air hits it.  I love my wedding dress and don’t want to donate it, but it seems so silly to keep it and have it take up space for no other reason than it’s a no no not to.  I feel like this about many things in the storage room, but that is a whole other soapbox for another day….

The girls have the storage room tornado thing down.  They stay quiet in the pockets where there’s new information on the forecasts, stay still, and sometimes have to put the pillows over their heads.  Turned out it was just a bad thunderstorm and some crazy hail.  So then we ventured out of the basement and I hit the ground running again.  After awhile Kirk and Sally arrived ready for their grandparent weekend shift, the minivan got loaded, dinner was made, the girls were bathed and put to bed, we debriefed Kirk and Sally on the schedule, we said our goodbyes and hit the road.  New Orleans or bust.  This has been a much talked about and anticipated Memorial Day weekend and it was actually going to start happening!