Storm Damage

We are sitting here watching the doppler radar again this evening.  Severe storms are heading our way and while we may lose power,  I'm not really worried about the storm hitting us although last night's storms hit Beebe, McRae and Vilonia.  All three are communities where my "teacher friends" reside.  School was canceled today and will be again tomorrow. 

The Beebe community has many trees down and a variety of damage that I am not yet aware of.  What I  have been told is that our main campus lost the roof over the computer lab, the roof over the new Pre-K building, and some damage over another building.  There is no power for much of the community or at the school.

This is a photo of a car belonging to one of our teachers.  The tree was on the other side of the car and it pierced her gas tank.  She and her family are safe, thank God.  The tree came from the other side of the car.

The McRae community also has many trees down but fortunately has no damage at our building.  There is no power for much of the community or for the school.

No one was injured when this house was hit in McRae.

Vilonia lost 16 homes and many other structures. 

As I started out, storms are headed our way.  It looks like they may go south of us.  I have my pillows and quilt ready for the bathtub in case they don't.  Now all I have to do is successfully talk Dan into joining me.  :)

Nature or Nurture

That's a topic that's been studied and published by many experts.  I remember thinking as a new parent that "nurture" was the main ingredient and would determine how my children would "turn out".  I was partly right and obviously more than partly wrong.

One of my kids made it clear within a few weeks of birth that cuddling was not something preferred and by 18 months old it was clear that an ordered world was an absolute necessity!  My other child was ok with cuddling but disorder was going to be part of every surrounding. 

I now have the benefit of four grandchildren to observe in addition to my own two children and it's clear to me that nature has a huge influence on their personalities, interests, and temperments, but it's the nurture we provide that helps them direct their choices and self control.  Each one of them has specific areas where they have to work harder than everyone else and at the same time, each one has areas that naturally come easier.

Parenting is hard work!!  I am very proud of my kids and their spouses for the the work they do to raise my grandchildren.  It is very challenging work!

Both of my kids were high energy kids and they are high energy adults.  I am fascinated by the characteristics of my own children that I can now see in my grandchildren.  I look forward to the phases that will come as they grow up.