No electricity

Sunday afternoon, the electricity went out and we heard the tornado sirens go off. So, we all headed downstairs to the storage room, with a flashlight, some blankets, Brad's Blackberry (to get weather updates), and a FHE lesson. The kids were somewhat nervous and unsure of what to expect. The whole experience actually tied in nicely with the lesson I had prepared on heeding warnings. The week before, we had talked about the importance of "watchmen" in the form of prophets, parents, teachers, etc., so we continued building on that theme. It turned out to be a great experience because we totally had the kids attention- all huddled up together in the in the storage room, in the dark.

When the rains stopped, we went for a walk around our neighborhood and enjoyed seeing so many people outside socializing. It's amazing what can happen when you don't have electricity! After a quick bowl of cereal, we loaded everyone into the car and drove to our favorite nature park. This has become our standard Sunday walking spot. It's so beautiful this time of year and is usually pretty deserted. So, the kids can run wild, burn energy, and not bug anyone. Perfect!

Little did we know, we wouldn't have electricity for another two and a half days. Monday morning, Brad called a friend (who had electricity) and asked if we could borrow his generator so our food wouldn't spoil. That worked great and we were so grateful for their generosity.

Other than the food issue, it was pretty nice not having the normal interruptions that can come along with electricity. Not that I'd like to live without it permanently, but it was okay for a few days. We all went to bed earlier. It reminded me of the olden days. People got up when the sun came up, and went to bed when it went down. I'm sure they didn't suffer from some of the sleep disorders we have nowadays. Their bodies were probably in a great routine. Also, kids probably didn't complain much about the food they were served. After working outdoors all day, they were probably exhausted and just thankful to eat. So, it was nice to reflect a little on the pros and cons of life with or without electricity.


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