I am like a hurricane, but there is NO calm in my eye

Most of you have probably heard by now about a little storm named Hurricane Ike and how it devastated Texas. But what you may not know is that its effect was felt all the way up here in Ohio. From huge downpours all day Saturday (man, we just had to shop a little bit longer until the rain let up--what a sacrifice!), to 60 mph winds and power surges yesterday, we too have been feeling Ike's wrath. This morning on our run Melissa and I were dodging downed tree branches and walnuts and various other object right and left. (Melissa called it our cross training.)

And it doesn't end there. At about 7:15 Melissa called wanting to know if I had heard that our elementary school was closed due to a power outage. No, I had not heard. I called Andrew in from the end of the driveway and we turned on the news. Sure enough, there went Holly Lane scrolling along the bottom of the screen. Emma and Leah were pretty bummed out because for them, school was still on. I was pretty bummed out because I had lots of stuff planned to get done today. And Brooke and Andrew have still not had a full week of school. Is that too much to ask?

The rest of the morning has been a bust. We've got gray skies, of course, which makes me want to pull on the pajama pants and pull up the blankets. Then I left a polite but firm voice mail with the superintendent that I was not happy that I had not received an official notification that school had been closed. We'll see if he responds. Next was a phone call from Leah at school saying both she and Emma had forgotten something at home and could I bring it by 9:45. Oh, well, by all means. I was planning to go out anyway (originally alone, now dragging two kids with me) so I agreed. The three of us piled into the car, and as I got down the road I realized I had forgotten the items that the girls needed. So (fuming at this point) I turned the car around to retrieve the items. Leah had told me specifically where her book was, but I could not find it. And you know as moms, we are good at finding things. So I don't know what the consequences will be, but hey--life lesson #124, right?

Back on the road now, the kids and I drop off first Emma's flute and then some paperwork to the doctor. On to Target, the only other stop I need to make. Just need to pick up a couple of things and then the kids can go over the Chatterton's to play. You would think that the two of them can hold it together. But oh no. They are giggling, hiding, running around, and generally ignoring me completely. So guess what happened. Well, we're not at the Chatty's, let's put it that way.

There is some blue sky trying to peek through outside, but the storm is not over yet.