Linda and David's Haboob

After Natalie's baby shower, we regrouped and drove out to Linda and David's in Surprise for a bbq.

They live in a section that is very much out in the desert country.

It is very pretty and unique.

They have guns/rifles and atv's to ride.

 

Natalie was not feeling so well.

She had been having contractions off and on all day, and we knew a storm of some kind was coming from the weather reports.



While we were finishing our dinner and dishing up our homemade ice cream, I looked out the window and couldn't believe what I was seeing.  Really and truly.  There.  Are.  No.  Words.

 

These are pictures I got from the internet that people took in the area on July 21st when this storm hit.

This is exactly what it looks like.

First comes the wind and all the dust.  It looks like the end of the world and feels eerily suffocating, except that you are indoors.

Then the rain comes.

 

With Natalie so close to the baby coming, we decided to leave for home (it's about a 50-60 minutes drive), and not get stuck in the storm.  Linda and David's home is located by some washes that in a haboob can turn into flash flood areas. You know the old wives tale of babies coming in storms.

Maybe we should've waited it out.

Because we found ourselves suddenly driving right into it.

I was driving.  Natalie was in the front passenger seat.  Robert and Christine were in the back seat with John in his carseat in-between them.  You know when Robert suggests we have a prayer that it's pretty serious.

 I have never seen rain like that in my life.  There were points that I literally could not see in front of us and had to almost completely stop.  Not just rain either.  Thunder and lightening so loud and bright that it blinded you for a few seconds.

 

We did get home safely and called and told the rest to stay at Linda's until it was over.

Holy Moly Haboob!