Why is Dallas so loose with their tornado sirens??!!

For those of you who don't know it, I am really afraid of tornados.  I have very few normal fears, I like snakes, don't mind spiders, I don't think someone's going to kidnap me and cut out my baby, nothing.  But I AM afraid of tornados.  I am pretty sure it stems from the 2nd grade.

Our classroom was in a portable building (classy) and so when the tornado sirens went off in our tiny town, we had to head into the boys bathroom.  Now, I'm not sure what was more traumatizing...knowing that there are tornados around us or having to sit in the disgusting 2nd grade boys bathroom.  Our teacher tried to distract us by reading "The plant that ate dirty socks."  I remember it so vividly, its strange - I can barely remember what I wore yesterday.  Anyway, the tornados really were coming for Whitehouse so my mom rushed into the school to pick us up.  Her, my brother and I all sat in the bathtub for what seemed like hours with a mattress next to us just in case.  SCARY.  It turned out the fear was merited, less than 2 miles away, a tornado tore out an entire subdivision of houses.  And thus, a deep rooted fear was born.

So, yesterday when the sirens were going off AND I saw on the news that tornados were coming - I cried.  Hard.  Then I gathered up the dogs and some blankets & pillows, and sat in the hallway for hours.  Chris cannot be contained, he (for reasons I don't understand) is fascinated with tornados.  I think all the recent tragedies surrounding tornados has sealed the deal - I'll have to build a fall out shelter underground.  Ok, maybe not, but good grief - can we get a break?!

Oh and I made the baby solemnly swear last night to NEVER be a storm chaser.  I will hold him/her to that promise.

HAILCORE!  Yes, that is baseball sized hail in our front yard.

And another one, with Finley trying to eat the hail.