Maggie's First Earthquake

Actually, it might be Bridey's, too. I can't remember. I think Ems slept through hers... If Bridget's had one before, she did too.

It was just a little one. But you never know when it starts if it's going to be big or little. We were watching tv, and our tv is not bolted down, so I unplugged the laptop from the cord (which was in the wall), just in case, scooped up the baby, and got Bridey to follow me. (She wanted to watch tv, and wasn't sure what was going on. We have had drills, but she had never felt it, so she didn't know it was an earthquake! I had to say "Emergency!", which is our "obey right now because this is serious" trigger word, before she followed me to a clear spot, where we sat down and practiced "duck and cover" even though I was sure by then that it wasn't a big one (it never hurts to practice!)

Nothing even fell off the shelf, but outgoing calls weren't working on the home phone and the cell service was too busy to get a call through. (We got texts through, very slowly.) Same story with Jeff's work phone, only incoming worked. He kept trying on the cell and eventually got through to Emma's preschool (they were fine-- they thought it was a drill!) and then to me to tell me Emma wasn't scared. We're glad that it wasn't any worse! It was a scary time for me having Emma at preschool and not knowing whether she was scared or okay (I was sure she wasn't hurt but, you know, emotionally.) I was really glad Jeff was able to get through, in case she had needed the comfort of hearing a parent's voice.

Update: we went to Grandma Pam's house in the evening to pick peaches, and she had lost a picture frame, but that was the extent of the local damage we've heard of. We're lucky enough to live on solid bedrock, which really dulls the damages when we have quakes!