Panic Attack!

I decided that when it was time for Lucy's afternoon nap, I would let her fall asleep in my arms, on the couch, while maybe dozing off for a while myself. Afterall, I'll only be able to do that for so long until she is either too big, or too old to nap... I read two books to her, and we were all bundled up with a blanket and before I knew it we had both just barely entered dreamland. Suddenly our weather radio started beeping - loud and fast! And LOUD. I remember looking through the little booklet at all the different types of beeps and what they could represent. Loud and fast was the *worst* kind of alarm there was, so I lept off the couch with Lucy in my arms, letting the blanket fall onto the floor.

As I ran to the radio to listen to the weather announcement recording (a male voice, see below) and read the message that scrolls across... the phone rings. I glance at the radio and see "TORNADO WARNING", then run and answer the phone (I know, I know) thinking it might be someone calling to warm me of the same thing. It wasn't - it was a woman from Kent County Health Services conducting their periodic checks on Lucy's development, and my questions or concerns as a parent. I immediately told the lady about the warning on the weather radio, and to hang on... Meanwhile opening the basement door and calling Killian...

... the warning was for the southernmost counties of Michigan, and has now become a tornado watch. So I was all shaking from the adrenaline but was able to answer the lady's questions.
So why does our weather radio have to send me into a tailspin of fear because a tornado touched down 150 miles away from me? Oh well... better safe than sorry. That radio is a blessing and a curse. I am sure glad we have it in case of real emergencies that could occur in the middle of the night, when no one is watching television. It just catches me off guard! I guess that's the idea.

The device also warns us when there is a volcano eruption, tsunami, earthquake, flood, social emergency (like a riot), hurricane, and a whole bunch of other things that will probably never happen anywhere near Grand Rapids. Basically for us, it's for tornados, t-storms, and blizzards... oh my. Well now I'm all keyed up and won't be taking a nap.