Taylor's first power outage...

UPDATE: Severe weather pounds CSRA

Thousands of people in the area are in the dark after severe thunderstorms pound the area, knocking out power on both sides of the river. There have been reports of heavy rain, hail, lightening, and wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour.

Posted: 9:46 PM Jun 15, 2011
Reporter: News 12 Staff

This is one of the pictures shot by the local news team.  We had some branches fall, but mostly twigs and smaller debris.  This morning someone was up at 7AM using their blower to clean up their property.  There were several traffic lights out and so traffic to and from base was backed up.  This is nothing that we can't handle, but I bring it up because this was Taylor's first ever power outage and it was pretty devastating for him.  Let me explain.  We put Taylor to bed as normal.  He wanted mommy at about 9PMish.  Daddy is home now and so he went up to console Taylor.  The power went out while daddy was up there and he told this to Taylor.  I think at that point, daddy thought Taylor was fine, but then Taylor was having a REAAAAALLY hard time!  He started crying again and freaking out!  Let me explain what I think was going on in his mind.  No more outside street lamp lights, no more nightlight, no more noise maker, fan and air-conditioning was off, it was pitch dark, and outside lightning flashed and trees really were dancing and the winds were really strong!  Taylor at this point put what daddy said together with what he saw and heard.  Then he went into panic mode.  (Meanwhile, daddy and mommy were downstairs, waiting for the power to kick back on in the dark on the couch.  I thought it would go back on but I was wrong.  It got really hot (for me) and really dark but it was really cool to look at and watch as the trees danced.  Yes, they often fall around here, but it is still neat to watch when the lightning comes and lights up the sky.  Anyway, Taylor came out of his room and I told him to come down after daddy kept telling him not to be afraid.  I opened the front door and carried Taylor onto the front porch and he was really scared.  We gave him a flashlight and he turned it on and another neighbor flashed him.  I showed him that everyone had their power out and that everyone was getting out their flashlights and such but we were standing there and getting wet and the wind was really in our faces so Taylor was whining and begging to go inside.  Then we went to look in the backyard at the swaying trees.  We prayed and talked about how these things happen and that people in the old days never had electricity and so it was always dark and hot and they never had noisemakers and such.  Anyway, he said he had a tummy ache because the power was out, to which I had to explain that he was nervous or scared and that produces butterflies or knots in your tummy.  He asked for medicine.  Um... no.  We just needed to have some understanding and reassurance.  Needless to say, Taylor slept with us in a sleeping bag on the floor with his flashlight and then power was restored at I think 1AM.  We are supposed to have the same weather tonight so hopefully, we will be ready and Taylor will understand the power and wonder all around him.  We are here with him and so is his God.  We have a roof over our head and we are protected.  Anyway, thought I would share.