Togetherness in the guest room bedroom, grandkids, and doggos joining me downstairs in our apartment. The warning siren is sounding over and over as funnel clouds and tornados are spotted and heading toward us. Grandpa and dad are in our living room of our basement apartment, a room with two windows. But they are men. At least they are not standing outside on the driveway trying to see it coming.

The tornados are around Lake Red Rock now. Ping-pong-ball-sized hail and high winds. I grew up on the west coast and am used to earthquakes. Tornado warnings are still unsettling for me, and this tornado is 8 miles from Pella and heading our way.

It was 70 degrees outside this afternoon. But now we sit downstairs, doing homework calmly while we listen to the weather channel. This feels rather bizarre—sirens blaring, former President Trump giving a news conference about his arraignment today, and weather people cutting in with any new storm warnings.

Springtime in Iowa. Always an adventure.