To Be or Not to Be...... Prepared

I just want to share a story.
At 4:30 am someone was pounding on our door. When the pounding and ringing of the doorbell didn't stop... I sent my husband Ammon to get the door. There in his uniform stood a SWAT member with his gun that was almost as tall as I was. He told us we needed to leave our house, be quiet, and try not to turn on the lights. He did give us an option of staying but to take everyone to the very back of the house. We chose that option for about 30 minutes... but keeping an 18 month old and a 4 year old quiet when they are tired just wasn't happening so we decided to leave. As Ammon was walking outside to the back the SWAT members surrounded him. He came back in saying that we could leave but we weren't allowed to take the car. So we each took a little girl and ran through our backyard cutting across lawns in our pajamas. The SWAT team followed close behind until we were out of range. My good friend Melissa came and picked us up and took us back to her house. (I really do owe you one!)

I'm still finding things out about what really happened. The SWAT man didn't tell us much. My first thought was... Is there a bomb... is our house going to blow....Is this the last time I will be in my house. It was scary. It was also scary running through the lawn. I just kept praying the whole time that nothing would happen to us.

We were finally able to come back home around 10:30am or so. I later found out that there was a man hiding in the church (it is right across from our house) because 2 men that had guns were in there where trying to shoot him. I'm still not sure what is all true... all I know was that I was not prepared today and it really was a wake up call.

As I was talking with my Friend Melissa... we talked a lot about 72 hour kits. I kind of have one... but I don't have in it what I would really need if something were to happen.
For example some things I could have used today.....

Diapers and wipes

Clothes for both children and myself

Jackets or clothes appropriate for the season(It was chilly this morning!)

If I didn't have a place to go... I would definitely need food. And not just any food. Food that my kids will actually eat!

And Money! My Dad always kept money in our 72 hour kits. I have cash that is for emergencies... but it is not in an easy to get to place.

I live in a tiny tiny town. The last thing on my mind was that something like that was going to happen. But it did. Today, I had some time to try and gather some things before we left the house but if something big were to happen, I would not have been prepared at all! My wonderful sister Elyse posted about her 72 hour kits in the tab Emergency Preparedness. I am excited to finally get mine organized and I'm also adding a few things that will meet my own needs! Thanks for reading and go do your 72 hour kits! :)ha ha

(And that picture is really what they looked like along the house. They were also hiding everywhere in the yard and the neighbors yard! It was a crazy day!)