Betty found the love of her life, Sean,  in high school.  When you tell your kids high school romances never work out-this was an exception.

My sister would have been 58 years old today

If she had lived had lived past 27

No doubt she would have had children and maybe grandchildren to celebrate with today

If she had lived

It has been so long ago that we lost her to a fiery car wreck

But not too long for me to remember she was always the best big sister, even when I didn’t like her much

We were 21 months apart, we were oceans apart in our temperament and desires

But we grew up together, blessed to see Hawaii sunsets, Colorado dawns and falls in Illinois

She was smarter than I and I was pretty smart

She was more reliable and determined and I can be both

She was better than me in so many ways

I was the athlete and she was more the scholar

My daughter Amber was born weeks before Betty died

She held my daughter for the first time and the last time in January of ’82

I think she broke my mother’s heart when she died

I know my father was never the same

So today I tell her once again that I love her

As I have whispered so many times and in so many dark nights

My life, my children, my grandchildren would have all been better if she had been here to be a part of their lives.

I miss you, Betty Sue

I still do.

Leading the grand entry parade, Betty (on the right) and I on our big, matching flea-bitten greys. It was a wonderful life. Granby, Colorado

Betty, my momma and I, Thanksgiving, 1975             Tecumseh, Oklahoma

Just a note to say, Lauren made it home safely from her time at the bay without any apparent injury (despite my premonitions).

Ally with her broken right arm and hurt left wrist saw the orthopedic surgeon today.  We were lucky to be squeezed in his busy schedule.  This is the doctor that got me through my broken pelvis, Lauren through her many knee injuries and ‘cured’ my elderly mother’s inability to walk instantly with his care.

I didn’t know what to tell Ally.  I thought with the location of the break (just below the elbow) that she would be spending our beach vacation in a full arm cast.  If anything, this doctor is VERY conservative.  He acknowledged the pain of the break and showed concern over the deep bone bruising on her left wrist.  But he feels the best treatment is to keep the arm in a sling with no CAST-no PLASTER!  I know Ally is probably hurting more tonight, and taking away her plaster splint and letting the arm be unprotected is probably very frightening for her.  But it will keep her elbow joint more fluid and allow healing to start.  He will keep a very close eye on her to be sure the bone is healing correctly.

So, no plaster on the beach.  Ally is absolutely forbidden to pick up anything (especially her baby) with her broken arm.  I know her husband will continue his superb care of her and the girls while she is unable.  It will be a hard several weeks but know she is healing already.  We pray for continued healing and pain relief.  Thank you to all who have sent her well-wishes and offers of help in sending meals, taking the kids and keeping up the house work.  You are wonderful!

Lauren went off to the bay with Blake. I have enjoyed about 24 hours of quiet time but I am ready for her to be back now. I did the horse chores this morning, watered all my plants and played with the dogs. It was a beautiful day and I would have loved to have ridden but I am still not cleared to ride so didn’t want to take a chance. In the last eight weeks, I have had shoulder surgery, my daughter, Amber, in Denver, has broken her foot and Ally has broken her arm. I am a little afraid that Lauren may snap in two at any moment.

Although I have certainly had my share of broken bones, my girls have escaped softball, soccer, track and all these horse years with only an occasional broken finger or toe. So, what is up now? Lauren texted me to say she was going jet skiing and I can’t shake the feeling that she will be the next call from the ER to tell me about her new broken bone! How about no more, God, please??

I spent a long quiet afternoon with my mom. I kept telling her our plans for her 89th birthday next week (it is really June 4th but we will celebrate next Sunday). She thinks it is her 139th birthday for some reason and I can’t reason with her. I have told her cards are arriving already. She really doesn’t remember much of anyone outside Lauren, Jordyn, Jim and myself but I would love to have a bunch of bright cards for her.

Send her a pink birthday card if you get a chance-Midge Foust 615 FM 640 rd., Wharton, TX 77488. That would be so great!

My lawn and pastures are mowed. Bruno had a bath for his trip to A&M in the morning. I am praying for an all clear on him. Ally sees the orthopedic surgeon in the morning as well. I pray Lauren just makes it home without anything in plaster.

Thank you for riding along and keep me in your prayers!

Houston’s CenterPoint Energy Company has sent a crew of 60 to Moore, OK today. Included is my lineman son-in-law, Luke Taylor.

I, like the rest of country, especially Oklahoma, is reeling from the storms, the massive tornadoes that hit the area recently.  I am overwhelmed with grief for the lost and shattered lives.

My mother is from Oklahoma.  She grew up there with her large farm family.  My mother is terrified of tornadoes.  No doubt, from horrific storms that drove through the state as she grew up.  These were the dust bowl depression days, they did not have much to lose.  Certainly there was not doppler radar or television meteorologists warning you to take cover.  She once described the weather forecasting at the farm to be based upon the color of the sky.  Black meant bad thunderstorms but green was a twister and it meant  everyone into the cellar until the storm was over.

We have so much information now and yet it did not save enough lives in Oklahoma.  Who could imagine telling someone they lost their child to a tornado, especially at their own school.  When I first saw the coverage last night, glancing at the screen with just the rumble that was left of the school, I thought someone had bombed a school in Oklahoma.  Indeed, they might as well have done so.  The students and teachers took cover but not deep enough or wind resistant enough to survive such a long-lasting horrific tornado.

I heard this morning of a man in Tulsa who has a Kevlar (like what they make tanks out of) storm shelter in his garage.  I suspect that can withstand some serious wind and pounding of flying debris.  Wow.

I remember as a child, growing up in Illinois, moving further north up the dreaded tornado alley, did little to avail my mother’s tremendous fear of tornadoes.  We had a big basement-no storm cellar- and we were taught to seek the northwest corner of the basement in case of a storm.  My father was out-of-town a great deal.  Whenever a storm threatened, with or without, a true tornado warning, my sister, my mother and I huddled in the basement with water in glass milk bottles (wow, that was pretty safe!), blankets, and a transistor  radio.  We stayed for hours at a time.  I think many of my formative years were spent waiting out storms in the basement with my family.  But we always took the warnings (or even the just the sky) seriously.

A couple of Friday’s ago, a tornado warning was issued during the storm that Lauren and I rode out in our little home in Wharton.  I was listening to the radio and heard the urgent call to take shelter.  We were lucky that the warning for a funnel cloud that extended through Fort Bend and part of Brazoria counties, never touched down.  But how many of us in those areas (we were just outside the warning area) actually took shelter?  I do not think we react as quickly or adequately as we should here in Houston.  I am glad my mother had no idea there was a tornado warning so close as I sure that even in her murky brain, alarms would have sounded and fear would have struck her heart.

And now as a reminder, this information could save your life:

Tornado Watch versus Tornado Warning

What is the difference between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning? A tornado watch is just to let folks know to be on the lookout for a possible tornado in the area whereas a Tornado Warning is a notification that a tornado has been seen or picked up by radar.
Tornado Watch– A Tornado Watch is issued to alert people to the possibility of a tornado developing in your area. At this point, a tornado has not been seen but the conditions are very favorable for tornadoes to occur at any moment.

Things to do when a Tornado Watch is issued:

• Keep alert and watch for changing weather conditions
• Listen to your local news reports & weather updates
• Review your family or business emergency preparedness plan
• Review your disaster kit
• Be ready to seek shelter at a moments notice

What to Watch for during a Tornado Watch:

• Dark greenish or orange-gray skies
• Large hail
• Large, dark, low-lying, rotating or funnel-shaped clouds
• A loud roar that is similar to a freight train

Tornado Warning– A Tornado Warning is issued when a tornado has actually been sighted or has been picked up on radar in your area. This means that you need to take shelter immediately in a safe sturdy structure. If you hear a tornado warning for your area-take shelter.  Discuss with your family what the safest spot is and be prepared to get there in seconds.  It may save your life.

Things to do when a Tornado Warning is issued:

• Take shelter immediately
• Listen to your local radio for updates
• Follow the National Weather Service Safety Guidelines (below)

What not to do during a tornado:

• Do not stay in a Mobile home as they offer very little protection from tornadoes.
• Do not open the windows in your home or business
• Do not try to outrun a tornado in a car
• Do not get under a highway overpass or bridge as you will be exposing yourself to flying debris and stronger winds.

My heartfelt prayers are going out to the families and friends devastated by these last big Oklahoma storms. I am fortunate that my family in Oklahoma is safe, though not untouched by the devastation.  I am proud to say that my son-in-law, Luke, a lineman for Center Point Energy is in Oklahoma now, helping to restore power to those affected by the storm.  They will work long shifts but be a mighty partner to the local Oklahoma teams that need all the assistance we can give.  Thank you, Luke-please stay safe as you work to help others!

My God watch over all that need his guidance and care during these difficult days!  Keep the survivors strong and safe and help them to rebuild their lives. Amen.