Day 29 of the March Slice of Life Challenge hosted by the Two Writing Teachers! #SOL23
Outside in the garden
Creating newspaper pots and planting seeds
Kids washed their hands and ran off to the playground
A beautiful day for extra recess
And then the news hit
A district, my daughters’ district was on lock down
Potential school shooting
No communication yet
I couldn’t breathe
My mind raced
My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest
An announcement was made no outdoor recess
Resume as normal
Do not go outside
My class was confused as I quickly gathered them inside
I felt numb
Scared
Panicked
My babies
Were they safe?
A parent’s worst nightmare
Texts to my husband
And in-laws who live in town
No communication from the neighboring district, yet
Time passed slowly
Are you okay?
What can I do?
Thankful for friends and coworkers
And my student teacher
No official communication, yet
Quick conversation shared
The potential threat was at the high school
Thankful for an administrator who checked in on those of us who have children in the neighboring district and shared it was a false alarm
A swatting call had been made
It was okay
My babies were okay
Deep breath
Heart slowed down
A hug
Do you need me to cover your class?
Another deep breath
Time for math
Brave face
Ding
10:13 am an email finally arrived
“We have determined the threat to not be credible.”
Teachers Write 
Oh, Krista. I’m so sorry. I cried writing my slice today and I cried reading yours. Hugs.
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I am so sorry for the this, all of this. It is awful. Last year my son’s school and the school I teach at were both on lock down for threats on the same day. It is awful. I have no words.
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I’m so sorry you lived this today. It’s awful. Responding to your slice with writer’s craft in mind seems insane amidst the active threats assaulting schools. And yet… your choice to write events unfolding in phrases portrays the onslaught of current action, information (or lack thereof), decisions, and brave faces quite well. I wish for us all that this was not a day you (or anyone else) ever had to live.
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Well, thank Gd the threat wasn’t credible, but still… the stress you felt was evident. I cannot imagine that kind of tension. No parent / caregiver should ever have to deal with what we’re living through right now.
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