Earthquake

This post is way way over due but I still wanted to write it because I still remember the feelings so clearly. Ryan would say I'm way over reacting but it really is an unsettling feeling to experience an earthquake.....

June 23rd, aprox.1.45pm - the girls have just gone down for their naps and Hayley and Nick (my sister and boyfriend who were visiting) and I are down in the basement watching an episode of Studio 60 while I eat my lunch before I take the chance for a nap. Suddenly we hear a noise that sounds like building or road construction and feel a shaking that often goes along with noises from construction. We look at each other and I remember the thought of an earthquake going through my mind and being dismissed as absurd until the movement got stronger and Hayley said "is this an earthquake?". The moment she said it we kicked into action. It was such a weird sensation because at the same time I knew it would be fine but we still ran upstairs. I grabbed Paige and gave her to Hayley and Nick standing in her doorway (she stayed spaced out for the whole experience and the went straight back to sleep). I opened Sloan's door and she was out like a light so I stood in her doorway ready to grab her if necessary but like I said I kind of knew it was going to be fine. I'm sorry I love Sloan to bits but was not prepared to wake her if unnecessary! It finished and everyone went back to what they'd been doing before. I went outside and spoke with one of the neighbours making sure they were ok and then went and lay down. We found out later it was a magnitude 5 and was about 50km directly north of where we live. We probably felt it stronger than most places because we were in the basement and it lasted no more than 30seconds.

Feeling your home move and not having any control over what happens is scary. Even though we knew it would all be fine being at the mercy of the elements is not a fun thing to experience and I have more empathy now for those who have experienced far worse than I have. Yes people's reactions were out of proportion but at the same time the only experience most people have had with earthquakes is the devastation they've seen on the news. We were blessed to not even experience a fraction of that (no buildings or any serious infrastructure damage occurred) but the fear of being totally helpless..... not something I wish to experience in any way again.