lightning

we had some thunderstorms move through in the afternoon.  lots of rain, but nothing violent or anything.  there wasn't even that much lightning.  of course there was one clap of thunder that was really, really loud.  besides it being loud, i didn't think too much about it since our power didn't even flicker and we had several things on in the house (lights, t.v., computers, etc.).

a few minutes later the siren of a fire truck sounded right below our window and the road started filling up with emergency responders.  my first thought was that someone had a medical emergency.  and then some one i didn't know was soaked from the rain and knocking on our door.  she just said that the building had been struck by lightning and we needed to get out.  and then she was gone.

enter panic.  maddux had just spit up all over and was now sitting in just a diaper on the floor and needed to be nursed.  thankfully everyone was at least dressed and not still in pajamas for once.  i told madelyn and mason to get their shoes on quickly while i grabbed my keys, phone and diaper bag (which contains all the essentials from wallet to snacks).  madelyn was already heading out the door, i was holding maddux and the rest of my stuff while trying to get the leash on maggie and mason was carrying around his shoes and crying.  he was crying because he wanted socks and i wouldn't go and get them.  he was also crying because he really needed a nap and didn't want to move as quickly as he was being instructed to.  i got everyone outside before i realized that i didn't have any shoes on either.  while i stepped just inside to grab my shoes next to the door, mason started making his way back into the apartment (still crying and carrying his shoes).  i practically slammed his leg in the door because he was in a refuse-to-move mood.

it was still raining and i wasn't too sure where we were supposed to go or do.  i just headed out into the street with the kids and dog trying to get the attention of one of the firemen so see if i could put the kids in the van until we got the all clear to go back in.  a police officer (who was blocking me in) said that we would be fine there.  i wanted to check because the van was parked just next to our stairs and still very close to the building. 

the lady downstairs (who i now know is 90) came out to see what was going on while i was (loudly) herding the kids downstairs.  i guess she had been laying down to take a nap when someone came by to ring her doorbell.  i explained what little i knew and when she seemed a little panicked and repeatedly asked where she should go, i offered to let her sit in the van with the kids and maggie.  i had to help her over to the van and she was extremely grateful. 

after a few minutes of 'get to know you' conversation, she asked if she could use my phone to call her daughter.  i felt so bad because i had thought of that when she stepped back inside to get something while i was loading up the kids and getting a movie started.  but in my adrenaline high i forgot by the time i had her settled in the van.  while she was on the phone with her daughter (whose phone number i had to look up - thank goodness for a smart phone!) a fireman came and knocked on the van door to ask her name and age because another daughter/granddaughter was running all over looking for her.  oh no!  i had told several police, fire, and apartment staff that she was in my van but i guess they had evacuated others (who didn't have a van with movies) to the clubhouse.  her relatives were very happy to find her safe and sound.

there was the ladder truck above with firemen checking out the roof and i think four other units responded.  i really should have taken more pictures but i just wasn't thinking that way.  the kids (mainly madelyn) were scared at first and i was almost in tears myself by the time i got everyone safely settled, but no firemen were running around, there was no visible smoke and no flames, so we calmed down and just waited for the 'all clear' to go back inside.

by the time we were let back in here is what i fond out.  the office got several reports of smoke and called the fire department (and they were there within minutes of the lightning strike).  it seemed like there was only smoke, but i did learn that there was a fire between the first and second floors of the units next to us (same roof, but sort of a separate 'quad' of units).  the fire melted the water line(s) and was put out.  the quote to me was that "it could have been so much worse, you don't want to know how bad it could have been."  late night we got a knock on the door from the gas company telling us that they were checking for damage from the fire and found that we actually had a small gas leak and they were turning off our service until it could be fixed (it is already fixed as i am writing this).

God was watching over us. 

madelyn has enjoyed retelling the story of "lightning striking down our building" but there was no fear about being inside or sleeping (which was a big concern since madelyn has been terrified of fire since we moved here and was never all too fond of lightning and thunder).  mason, and madelyn too, loved watching all the fire trucks working so close up.  once the rain stopped i let them both walk around a little to check things out.  we did make sure to stay out of everyone's way.

hopefully, that is the last time we have that much excitement here.  love.