Thunderstorms

I used to hate thunderstorms.

Once I was in junior high and I left my family to stay with some second cousins for a week, they had terrible thunderstorms. I was so freaked out. I cried in my bed at night.

Then I was going into high school and I went on a missions trip, we went to Mexico, and there were these major storms and we were staying in huts made of grass with no walls. I was SO scared. I thought the lightening would surely strike me dead.

Then I was home alone one night and a thunderstorm hit Spokane (like the ones we've been having this week)... and I was so extremely frightened that I called my boyfriend's house in the middle of the night and begged his mom to let him come, across town, and get me, and take me to his house to spend the night. I was a wreck (obviously, since she did indeed let him come and get me).

Then I moved to the west side for college where it just rains incessantly without the whole thunder and lightening drama. Oh... and then I moved back.

But I'm older now and more mature and I have an awesome husband who holds me when I'm scared of bigger things than thunder and so I don't feel anxious about storms anymore. In fact, we sleep with our porch door open because I like the sound of the rain and I like the flashes of beautiful lightening and I know the thunder won't hurt me.

So really, I like storms now. But let me tell you more. And this might seem mean and a bit uncompassionate.... but go with me to the end of the story.

I like that my kids are afraid of the thunder.

I enjoy hearing their running feet head straight to my side of the bed and their sweet voices asking if they can sleep with me tonight. I like frantically searching for a flashlight with Ben when the power goes out and finally finding it 15 minutes later under a dirty pile of laundry and laughing together in the middle of the night. I LOVE holding my nine year old boys' hands and listening to their breath, fast and crazy, all close to my ear... and how it calms over time and, when it's rhythmic again, I know they have fallen asleep. It's NOT fun waking up all sweaty because 5 people don't fit really well in a queen bed, but I think it's worth it because some day the nine year old boys will conquer their fear and they won't run to me anymore. It's all good for now because my sweet girl will one day sleep through the storm in her own bed because she's exhausted from after school activities, or whatever keeps her busy all day long when she's 15. Because one day my baby boy won't be a baby and my kids will be grown and they won't need me to hold their hand through silly thunderstorms.

So until then, I will enjoy the storms, in fact, I will invite the thunder so that I can hold my kids' hands and snuggle in the too-small bed and wake up all sweaty -- because it's worth it.

Yours Truly - Ms. Simplicity