Happy Birthday Connor!

The morning was rather calm and productive. By productive I mean that all three boys were preoccupied. I forget how much I can get done when the 3 stooges aren't with me! I didn't have any special birthday plans for Connor (the party is this weekend) so it was a pleasant surprise when my Dad called to come pick Connor up so they could spend a few special hours together this morning. Connor got his fill of pancakes and sausage, followed by some shopping where he picked out his own birthday present. I ran errands and I swear the things I accomplished in those two hours would have taken twice as long had I been weighed down by the boys. Once the boys were back home, we settled in for some R&R. With a full tummy, Connor went right down for his nap without a fuss. I jumped into bed too.

I woke from a deep sleep to the home phone ringing, then my cell phone, then the home phone once again. When the home phone rang a second time, I jumped up with a sense of urgency. It was my dear sweet husband telling me I'd be glad he called regardless that it woke me. He warned me of oncoming storms. And not just that but our area had received a tornado warning. I think that's when I finally lost all grogginess. We are not an area known for tornados. I can vaguely remember one or two previous tornado watches. I could hear the thunder starting to reverberate and the growing pitter-patter of rain hitting the tin roof of the shed behind our house. Have you ever watched a storm blow in? There is something so surreal about the moment. Like witches brew it bellowed and bubbled our way. The birds were darting madly about. The lightning was putting on quite the show. I start calling the family to make sure they know about the warnings.

At this time I decided to call my best friend in Seattle to tell her about the tornado warnings. The first thing I said was "Tornado warnings..." and she jumped into this story about a dream she'd had recently. As if I wasn't already a bit worried, crazy girl told me that in this dream, she let go of me in a tornado. Here's her actual message to me HOURS BEFORE. I hadn't seen it yet when we talked on the phone. She assumed I had.

ok.. so I had a dream last night that you and I were at a party in some field in xxxxx and everyone started running for their lives because a tornado was coming.. so you and i started to run and it was following us and it was right over our heads and it started to suck you up and i was holding on to your legs and a fence at the same time then my grip started to give and if I didnt let go of you I would get sucked up too and I let go and you got sucked away.. I woke up sooo freaked out... any insight on what this means? Im still pissed off I let ya go!

I'm into dream meanings so I might tackle this one another day, but it was just so freaking strange and coincidental that she dreamt about being in a tornado, and then in a place that it never, ever happens gets the message to keep an eye on the sky! To make a long story short, I stayed on the ground. The power flickered but didn't go off. The ground is pretty wet and I saw a couple branches on the ground. But thankfully no tornadoes. I got all worked up over a thunderstorm. Something I might've quite possibly enjoyed before I had kiddos to protect.

That's not quite how I want to remember Connor's actual 2nd birthday. We have some cheerful events coming up that should shed more positive light on this milestone for him. I want him to remember sampling frosting on chubby fingers and unwrapping shiny presents and the smiles on the faces of loved ones around him. I know at his age he won't remember details but someday when he does try to look back, I want him to remember that overall feeling of love and security and what every grown up wishes they'd had- a happy childhood. Even when the weather is bad he is still the sunshine of our lives.