EARTHQUAKE!

Well boys, we had an earthquake today! It was my first earthquake in my 41 years - and certainly your first earthquake experience.  We were in the Walmart parking lot loading the car and I you both had just climbed in the car. I was loading our bags and the car started shaking - I thought the two of you were jumping around or something making the car move. I asked you to please stop and buckle up and low and behold, the shaking got worse and it lasted about 15 seconds.  I knew pretty quick that it was an earthquake but wasn't exactly sure what to do.  I envisioned the earth cracking and us getting swallowed up into it (I have obviously seen one too many of those sci-fi movies where natural disaster takes the world).

Just after it ended, Daddy called from his office in DC and they had experienced the same thing about 8 minutes earlier.  We were safe - and thank goodness we were outdoors and not inside of the store still.  It was such a crazy feeling - one I will never forget.  It was a helpless feeling, and one that makes you stop in your tracks and wonder what is going on and what to do next.

As it sounds now, it was a 5.8 on the richter scale - which is a fairly significant earthquake.  The epi-center was a bit north of Richmond so it was a good 200 miles away.

As of today, we also have hurricane IRENE bearing down on us - forecasted to possibly hit our coastal area this weekend.  Mother nature is putting us to the test!