Hitting (way) too close to home.

By now, everyone has seen the horror that was the E5 tornado in Joplin, Missouri. Most everyone up here in Washington knows that I'm from Missouri so I've been fielding questions left and right about where Joplin is, is it close to where I'm from, etc. Joplin is about 2 hours from where I grew up in a suburb of Kansas City, however, all of my mom's family is from southwestern Missouri and we do have some friends and family right outside of Joplin. Luckily all are ok. Just last year at this time, we stopped in Joplin for lunch on our way to my cousin's graduation in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the "main" drag in old town Joplin, which was hit by the tornado. There is something so terrifying about seeing the damage, remembering how it feels to be caught in a tornado warning (though I've never even been remotely close to anything of this scope), remembering the city as it was and feeling a bit helpless just watching the pictures of the devastation. I wish I COULD be there to help in some capacity to pick up the pieces for these people of my home state. And I wish that no one ever had to experience that kind of loss.

By now everyone has seen these photos of Joplin. Insantiy.

A few days after the Joplin tornado, my hometown, Kansas City, was struck by tornadoes (though certainly not of the size of Joplin). Above the "green" sky that is pretty indicative of tumultuous weather. I've seen it a couple of times in person and it's scary. Like wizard of Oz wicked witch sort of scary... but real. And when you see this? Um, HIDE.

And a picture of a funnel cloud in KC... also have seen this in person. Also pretty freaky. You're not sure if it's going to develop and come roaring towards you or revert back into the clouds (you HOPE for the latter!)

Another shot of the nasty KC weather.

And one more funnel starting to form. All of these shots of home make me miss home... and though I chose to move away from the midwest (tornadoes make the list as to reasons why), in some way, I feel strangely guilty that I'm not there with the people in my home state. I'm not really sure why I feel that way but I think it is partly because I just feel so disconnected out here in Washington, like I'm just watching from afar and while I'm GLAD I'm not there dealing with tornadoes, at the same time, I can relate to the horror that is severe weather in the midwest. That being said, I almost wish I was there to deal with it as well and live through it with them instead of just hearing about it and watching it remotely only to talk about it later. Perhaps it's some sort of helplessness? Or just feeling not-present? I don't know. I guess if nothing else, when things like this do hit so close to home, you just want to be near your loved ones. To give family and friends that have had a rough couple of weeks hugs and to let them know that it will all be ok and that I AM still here for them, even from a billion miles away where the extent of our severe weather lately has been death by drowning from excessive rain.